[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 150 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40452-40453]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19657]
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[[Page 40453]]
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of International Labor Affairs; U.S. National
Administrative Office; North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation;
Notice of Determination Regarding Review of Submission # 9601
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. National Administrative Office (U.S. NAO) gives
notice that Submission # 9601 was accepted for review on July 29, 1996.
The submission was filed with the NAO on June 13, 1996, by Human Rights
Watch/Americas, the International Labor Rights Fund, and the Asociacion
Nacional de Abogados Democraticos (National Association of Democratic
Lawyers), and concerns the representation of employees of the Ministry
of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Fishing by the Single Trade
Union of Workers of the Fishing Ministry (SUTSP) in Mexico City,
Mexico. Article 16(3) of the North American Agreement on Labor
Cooperation (NAALC) provides for the review of labor law matters in
Canada and Mexico by the NAO. The objective of the review of the
submission will be to gather information to assist the NAO to better
understand and publicly report on the Government of Mexico's compliance
with the objectives set forth in Articles 3 and 5 of the NAALC.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 29, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Irasema T. Garza, Secretary, U.S. National Administrative Office,
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room C-4327,
Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 501-6653 (this is not a toll-
free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 13, 1996, the Human Rights Watch/
Americas, the International Labor Rights Fund, and the Asociacion
Nacional de Abogados Democraticos (National Association of Democratic
Lawyers), filed a submission raising allegations concerning the right
to organize and freedom of association for federal workers in Mexico.
Artile 16(3) of the NAALC provides for the review of labor law
matters in Canada and Mexico by the NAO. ``Labor law'' is defined in
Article 49 of the NAALC to include freedom of association.
The procedural guidelines for the NAO, published in the Federal
Register on April 7, 1994, specify that, in general, the Secretary of
the NAO shall accept a submission for review if it raises issues
relevant to labor law matters in Canada or Mexico and if a review would
further the objectives of the NAALC.
Submission # 9601 relates to labor law matters in Mexico. A review
would also appear to further the objectives of the NAALC, as set out in
Article 1, which include improving working conditions and living
standards in each Party's territory; promoting, to the maximum extent
possible, the labor principles set out in Annex 1 of the NAALC, among
them freedom of association; promoting compliance with and effective
enforcement by each Party of, its labor law; and fostering transparency
in the administration of labor law. Accordingly, this submission has
been accepted for review of the allegations raised therein. The NAO's
decision is not intended to indicate any determination as to the
validity or accuracy of the allegations contained in the submission.
The objective of the review will be to gather information to assist
the NAO to better understand and publicly report on the issues
concerning the right to organize and freedom of association raised in
the submission, including the Government of Mexico's compliance with
the obligations agreed to under Articles 3 and 5 of the NAALC. The
review will be completed and a public report issued, within 120 days,
or 180 days if circumstances require an extension of time, as set out
in the procedural guidelines of the NAO.
Signed at Washington, D.C. on July 29, 1996.
Irasema T. Garza,
Secretary, U.S. National Administrative Office.
[FR Doc. 96-19657 Filed 8-1-96; 8:45 am]
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