DeLauro, Trade Working Group Members Send Letter to Goodyear About Allegations of Poor Wages and Working Conditions

WASHINGTON, DC (August 1, 2019) – This week, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) sent a letter to Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Chairman Richard Kramer expressing disappointment that Goodyear did not accommodate a Congressional delegation request to visit the Goodyear San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico to investigate allegations of mistreatment of workers. The letter outlines deep concerns about poor working conditions, discrimination and inadequate wages.

"As a member of the Trade Working Group appointed by Speaker Pelosi to work on the negotiations surrounding NAFTA 2.0, I recently participated in a Congressional Delegation trip to Mexico to meet with government officials and stakeholders regarding key issues under consideration by House Democrats. Understanding labor conditions in Mexico is vital to ensuring that any re-negotiated NAFTA has strong protections for workers in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Unfortunately, our experience at the Goodyear facility demonstrated the problems at hand."

"While we were denied entry into the Goodyear plant in San Luis Potosi to see the conditions ourselves, we met with several of the workers who had been fired after striking. The workers provided compelling testimony about the poor working conditions, lack of protective gear and safety and overall training provided to workers, non-reporting of hazards, deductions that are taken from already low wages, and discrimination and harassment (directed at women workers especially) at the Goodyear facility."

"What is happening at Goodyear highlights the deeply-ingrained problems with Mexico's labor market. Workers are routinely mis-treated and paid wages that are shockingly low, in light of Mexico's wealth relative to other Latin American countries where average workers' wages are actually higher."

"Democrats have been saying for years that our trade deals must have effective enforcement mechanisms to hold corporations and countries accountable, and that includes the treatment of workers at plants like Goodyear and others. I look forward to the response from Goodyear regarding our concerns as the Working Group continues its important work."

A signed copy of the letter can be found here.