An issue for upcoming NAFTA talks: Getting Mexicans a pay raise
WASHINGTON — The cost of Mexican labour will be an issue in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, participants acknowledged at an auto-industry conference, touching on one of the key sectors up for discussion.
It’s an issue officials from the national governments have been raising in the runup to the talks — the idea that any new agreement should address the ongoing, yawning wage disparity between auto workers in Mexico and their northern peers.
At a Washington gathering organized by the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association on Wednesday, the head of an international auto group said he’s prepared for labour to become an issue after talks start this month.
“Labour standards will be part of the negotiation,” said John Bozzella, president and CEO of Global Automakers, which represents major companies like Honda, Hyundai and Nissan.