[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 595 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 595

  Concerning the need to improve working conditions at the Han Young 
                   truck factory in Tijuana, Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 13, 1998

 Ms. Lofgren (for herself, Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Bonior, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. 
  Delahunt, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Ms. 
Slaughter, Mr. Stark, Mr. Filner, and Mr. Brown of Ohio) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Concerning the need to improve working conditions at the Han Young 
                   truck factory in Tijuana, Mexico.

Whereas the United States has a moral obligation to ensure that its trading 
        partners respect the basic democratic rights of their workers;
Whereas workers at the Han Young truck factory in Tijuana, Mexico, have reported 
        deplorable working conditions, and Mexican safety inspectors have 
        confirmed substantial health and safety violations;
Whereas, in April 1997, workers at the Han Young factory began to organize a 
        union;
Whereas workers who pursued union activities in the factory suffered reprisals 
        for their organizing efforts, including threats, shift changes, 
        harassment, and dismissals;
Whereas workers at the Han Young factory voted more than once to be represented 
        by an independent union and went on strike on May 22, 1998, because the 
        Han Young company refused to bargain with the union;
Whereas the United States National Administrative Office (NAO) in the Department 
        of Labor conducted a two-part review of the conditions at the Han Young 
        factory pursuant to its obligations under the North American Agreement 
        on Labor Cooperation;
Whereas the NAO found that Mexico's constitution and federal laws protect 
        workers' freedom to organize and join unions of their choice, and found 
        that the placement of obstacles to this freedom by local Conciliation 
        and Arbitration Boards is not consistent with Mexico's obligations under 
        article 3 of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation;
Whereas the NAO found that the reports of the workers and safety inspectors are 
        consistent and credible in describing a workplace polluted with toxic 
        airborne contaminants, operating with unsafe machinery, strewn with 
        electrical cables running through puddles of water, and exhibiting 
        numerous other violations of minimum health and safety standards;
Whereas the NAO has been unable to ascertain whether fines against Han Young 
        were imposed or collected in accordance with Mexican law; and
Whereas the NAO has recommended that the Secretary of Labor consult with 
        Mexico's Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare to address these issues: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) urges the Mexican government to do everything in its 
        power to ensure that the rights of the Han Young workers are 
        respected; and
            (2) urges the President to pursue ministerial and 
        diplomatic consultations with the Mexican government in order 
        to resolve the situation at the Han Young truck factory in 
        Tijuana, Mexico.
                                 <all>