[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56064-56065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27787]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Office of the Secretary


Bureau of International Labor Affairs; U.S. National 
Administrative Office; North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation; 
Hearing on Submission #9601

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce a hearing, open to 
the public, on Submission #9601.

    Submission #9601, filed with the U.S. National Administrative 
Office (NAO) by Human Rights Watch/Americas, the International Labor 
Rights Fund, and the Asociacion Nacional de Abogados Democraticos 
(National Association of Democratic Lawyers), involves labor law 
matters in Mexico and was accepted for review by the NAO on July 29, 
1996. Notice of acceptance for review was published in the Federal 
Register on August 2, 1996.
    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 in accordance with U.S. domestic procedures. Revised 
procedural guidelines pertaining to the submission, review, and 
reporting process utilized by the Office were published in the Federal 
Register on April 7, 1994 (59 F.R. 16660). The guidelines provide for a 
hearing as part of the review.

DATES: The hearing will be held on December 3, 1996, commencing at 9:00 
a.m. Persons desiring to present oral testimony at the hearing must 
submit a request in writing, along with a written statement or brief 
describing the information to be presented or position to be taken.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held in Washington, D.C. in Room N-5437, 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20210. Written statements or briefs and requests to present oral 
testimony may be mailed or hand delivered to the U.S. National 
Administrative Office, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, 
N.W., Room C-4327, Washington, D.C. 20210. Requests to present oral 
testimony and written statements or briefs must be received by the NAO 
no later than close of business, November 22, 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: 

I. Nature and Conduct of Hearing

    As set out in the notice published in the Federal Register on 
August 2, 1996, the objective of the NAO's review of the submission is 
to gather information 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, as 
set out in Article 3 of the NAALC, and on the steps the government of 
Mexico has taken to ensure that its administrative, quasi-judicial and 
labor tribunal proceedings for the enforcement of its labor law are 
fair, equitable and transparent, in accordance with Article 5 of the 
NAALC.
    The hearing will be conducted by the Secretary of the NAO or the 
Secretary's designee. It will be open to the public. All proceedings 
will be conducted in English, with simultaneous translation in English 
and Spanish provided. The public file for the submission, including 
written statements, briefs, and requests to present oral testimony, 
will be made a part of the appropriate hearing record. The public files 
will also be available for inspection at the NAO prior to the hearing.
    The hearing will be transcribed. A transcript of the proceeding 
will be made available for inspection, as provided for in Section E of 
the procedural guidelines, or may be purchased from the reporting 
company.
    Disabled persons should contact the Secretary of the NAO no later 
than November 15, 1996, if special accommodations are needed.

II. Written Statements or Briefs and Requests To Present Oral 
Testimony

    Written statements or briefs shall provide a discussion of the 
information presented or position taken and shall be legibly typed or 
printed. Requests to present oral testimony shall include the name, 
address, and telephone number of the witness, the organization 
represented, if any, and any other information pertinent to the 
request. Five copies of a statement or brief and a single copy of a 
request to present oral testimony shall be submitted to the NAO at the 
time of filing.
    No request to present oral testimony will be considered unless 
accompanied by a written statement or brief. A request to present oral 
testimony may be denied if the written statement of brief suggests that 
the information sought to be provided is unrelated to the review of the 
submission or for other appropriate reasons. The NAO will notify each 
requester of the disposition of the request to present oral testimony.
    In presenting testimony, the witness should summarize the written 
statement or brief, may supplement the written statement or brief with 
relevant information, and should be prepared to answer questions from 
the Secretary of the NAO or the Secretary's designee. Oral testimony 
will ordinarily be limited to a ten minute presentation, not including 
the time for questions. Persons desiring more than ten minutes

[[Page 56065]]

for their presentation should so state in the request, setting out 
reasons why additional time is necessary.
    The requirements relating to the submission of written statements 
or briefs and requests to present oral testimony may be waived by the 
Secretary of the NAO for reasons of equity and public interest.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on October 24, 1996.
Irasema T. Garza,
Secretary, U.S. National Administrative Office.
[FR Doc. 96-27787 Filed 10-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-28-M