Mexico agrees to probe Goodyear labour practices

Mexico City – The government of Mexico has accepted a US government request to review labour practices at Goodyear’s tire manufacturing plant in San Luis Potosi.

The request was made under a regional trade rule, after a local union alleged Goodyear was “obstructing workers’ freedom of association and right to collective bargaining.”

Mexico's ministry of labour and social welfare said the review will examine possible ‘violations of collective labour rights’ and related matters at the central Mexico facility.

This was linked “to the company’s refusal to apply the most beneficial terms of the existing contract law in the rubber industry,” added the minstry's 1 June statement. 

The ministry has 35 days to investigate the issues at the San Luis Potosi tire plant and declare a determination.

In operation since 2017, the Mexican facility employs 1,100 people and has the capacity to manufacture 6 million units of passenger car tires per year.

In a statement to ERJ in May, Goodyear said its San Luis Potosi plant is “a state-of-the-art facility with strong employee satisfaction, competitive wages, and attrition of less than 1%.”

Goodyear will work with Mexican and US authorities to “protect our associates’ right to select their own representation, freely and fairly,” its statement added.