[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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