[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 217 (Thursday, November 10, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-27885] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: November 10, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of the Secretary Bureau of International Labor Affairs; U.S. National Administrative Office; North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation; Notice of Determination Regarding Review of Submission #940004 AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Labor. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. National Administrative Office (NAO) gives notice that on November 4, 1994, Submission #940004 was accepted for review. The submission was filed with the NAO on September 12, 1994 by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) and concerns the operations of an employer in Ciudad Juarez, State of Chihuahua, Mexico. The allegations of the submission relate principally to the right of freedom of association and the right to organize. 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 promotion of compliance with, and effective enforcement of, its labor law through appropriate government action, the availability of enforcement procedures, and procedural guarantees, as set out in Articles 3, 4, and 5 of the NAALC. EFFECTIVE DATE: November 4, 1994. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irasema T. Garza, Secretary, U.S. National Administrative Office, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room C-4327, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 501-6653 (this is not a toll- free number). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 12, 1994 the UE filed a submission with the NAO concerning allegations involving the operations of an employer in Ciudad Juarez, State of Chihuahua, Mexico. The allegations of the submission relate principally to the right of freedom of association and the right to organize. Article 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 and the right to organize. 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 #940004 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 and the right to organize; promoting compliance with, and effective enforcement by each Party of, its labor law; and fostering transparency in the administration of labor law. Accordingly, the submission has been accepted for review. However, acceptance for review 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 Government of Mexico's promotion of compliance with, and effective enforcement of, its labor law through appropriate government action, the availability of enforcement procedures, and procedural guarantees, as set out in Articles 3, 4, and 5 of the NAALC. The review will focus on labor laws that guarantee the right of association and the right to organize freely and prohibit interference with the efforts of workers to exercise those rights. 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, DC, on November 4, 1994. Irasema T. Garza, Secretary, U.S. National Administrative Office. [FR Doc. 94-27885 Filed 11-9-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-28-M