This article by Paloma Martínez Méndez originally appeared on October 3, 2025 at Radio Canadá Internacional, the multilingual service of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada’s state broadcaster.
“If companies are globalizing and have consortiums all over the world, workers must also globalize their strategies,” said Eladio de la Cruz Chavarría of the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo in an interview with RCI.
This delegate is one of three Mexican union representatives who traveled to several Canadian cities in September to meet with the United Steelworkers, the International Centre for Workers’ Solidarity (CISO), and the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ).
In June of this year, a Canadian delegation from the aforementioned organizations visited Mexico to participate in workshops and forums on labour rights.
Union Demands in the USMCA
Union members are demanding a voice in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA/USMCA) negotiations between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which are scheduled to begin in July 2026.
“We want to give our opinions and be part of the process. These are decisions that directly affect us as workers and our working conditions,” said Marco Antonio Chávez of Mexico’s National Miners’ Union.
Eladio de la Cruz Chavarría, Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, Aguascalientes, Mexico
The Rapid Labour Response Mechanism, provided for in the labour chapter of the USMCA, is seen as a tool to balance forces.
Chávez explained that this resource allows them to act when Mexican authorities fail to address union demands, although he acknowledged that there is still fear in Mexico about using it due to its consequences for businesses.
For his part, Miguel Ángel Villalobos, also from the National Miners’ Union, believes that more unions should be aware of and use this mechanism to defend themselves against companies that do not respect their workers’ rights. “It gave us Mexican workers a boost and a voice to bring our demands to those trinational courts.”
Tariffs Impact
Union representatives from Mexico and Canada agreed that the tariff crisis imposed by the United States and the renegotiation of the USMCA make international cooperation more urgent.
2020 CISO delegation to Hidalgo, Mexico
Eladio de la Cruz Chavarría explained that the central objective is to create a solid support network. “Understanding common problems and having different perspectives creates a slightly more defined strength. We’re also working with companies in the same industry in the state of Aguascalientes and here in Canada, in Toronto, and we see many shared concerns.”
Concern about the effects of tariffs is tangible. In Aguascalientes, De la Cruz Chavarría said, a textile company that exported to the United States is facing uncertainty. Another case in Durango resulted in permanent closure after the increase in export taxes.
Solidarity on the Ground
During their visit to Mexico in June of this year, the Canadian delegation participated in union training activities and learned about local struggles firsthand.
Likewise, during their tour of Canada in September, Mexican union representatives were able to present their complaints and learn from the experiences of union members in the metalworking and mining sectors, as well as begin to build alliances on related issues.
Mineros & Frente Auténtico del Trabajo visiting ArcelorMittal
Guillaume Charboneau, Executive Director of the United Steelworkers’ Humanity Fund, explained that close exchanges have been key: “Going directly to see the workers, talking to them, and understanding their reality makes a difference. It allows us to bring their voices to the negotiating tables here and demonstrate that the struggles are shared.”
Amélie Nguyen, director of the International Center for Workers’ Solidarity (CISO), recalled that the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo, has been a long-standing partner since 1975. “There have been many actions in the past and now with the solidarity economy, but there have also been more political alliances regarding free trade and collective thinking. So it’s a very important and beloved partner.”
Daniel Mallet, of the Unified Union of Steelworkers, highlighted the value of direct contact between activists in both countries: “This builds solidarity on the ground, connects people, and allows for stronger pressure to come from the grassroots toward organizations.”
Along the same lines, the representative of the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ) said that the cooperation that has begun must be consolidated to address the division that the U.S. government is using as a strategy. “We share many concerns, and the asymmetry being created with the United States has an impact […] Trump’s strategy is forcing us to withdraw into ourselves. And that will force us to fight industry by industry, factory by factory, to save our jobs,” said Wilfred Cordeau.
Trade union cooperation between Mexico and Canada seeks to jointly address the consequences of U.S. tariffs and actively participate in the trade agreement negotiations, defending the rights of workers in both countries.
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