Trade justice lies at the core of a fair and just economic system. This summer Quixote Center published an article exposing how free trade agreements like NAFTA fueled migration out of Mexico. Trade policies not only impact migration but also outline the rules related to arms trafficking. Hence, if we want to address the root cause of migration and mitigate arms trafficking while also advocating for economic justice, we need to demand reforms in upcoming trade negotiations.
Trade has been making headlines with the US administration imposing tariffs to gain a bargaining advantage at the negotiation table with most countries, including its immediate neighbors. Protectionist policies like tariffs are appropriate to protect vulnerable industries and national sovereignty over strategic goods. It is still unclear whether this is simply a negotiating tactic or will actually benefit US workers.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), also known as Nafta 2.0, is undergoing it’s mandatory 6-year review. This is an opportunity for all parties to bring forward proposals that would reform this trade agreement to ensure that fairness and justice prevail over profit maximization. While North American competitiveness in the global market is at the core of this trinational deal, an emphasis on closer cooperation would help mitigate many challenges the region faces regarding climate change, migration, drug and weapons trafficking among many other important issues.
The 2020 USMCA brought some modest improvements to the original 1994 NAFTA deal, particularly with the implementation of a Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM). This corporate accountability tool allows investigations into individual facilities where workers are denied their rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Companies in violation can face escalating sanctions which can ultimately lead to a denial of entry into export markets.
However, many trade experts and workers’ unions argue that the current RRM is not enough to produce much-needed systemic changes. Only 38 RRM cases have been filed since 2020 and although the agreement claims this mechanism provides quick relief for workers whose rights are denied, it often takes a year to resolve these cases. Workers in Mexico are particularly affected by poor conditions including abysmally low wages and long workdays (legally 48-hour week but many factories impose 12-hour shifts). The wage gap between Mexico and the United States is 10 to 1.
Quixote Center believes that improving workers’ rights in Mexico must be a priority to end the race to the bottom triggered by NAFTA when corporations shipped good-paying jobs to Mexico to take advantage of weak labor rights, lax pollution controls and poverty wages. These poor labor conditions are one of the root causes of migration out of Mexico.
We urge the US, Mexico and Canada to work together to implement sensible reforms to control the export and import of arms, cooperate in the enforcement of security protocols and protect workers by guaranteeing their rights of association and collective bargaining. Human rights, regional stability, and prosperity must be the ultimate objectives of this pact.
As the USMCA entered the mandatory review period, during which countries can make changes to the pact — or extend it as written until 2036 – we invite you to seize this opportunity to make your voice heard. Indeed, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is currently seeking public comments on the joint review of the agreement until November 3rd, 2025.
Quixote Center compiled a list of proposals on issues we work on, namely migration, arms trafficking, labor and human rights. We invite you to select comments from this list or produce your own comments based on your areas of expertise. The Sierra Club shared a comprehensive list of demands to strengthen environmental protection within the negotiation framework you might be interested in uplifting. We also provide step-by-step instructions on how to submit your comments on the USTR portal as well as a link to a short video tutorial.
This is an opportunity to make your voice part of the negotiations over US trade policy.
To submit a comment, click HERE.
For instructions on how to submit a comment, click HERE.
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