[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 9 (Thursday, January 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2193-2194]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-813]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Bureau of International Labor Affairs; National Administrative 
Office; North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation; Notice of 
Determination Regarding Review of U.S. Submission #9901

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 2194]]

SUMMARY: The U.S. National Administrative Office (NAO) gives notice 
that on January 7, 2000 U.S. Submission #9901 was accepted for review. 
The submission was filed with the NAO on November 10, 1999 by the 
Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, and the Association of 
Flight Attendants of Mexico. The submission raises concerns about 
freedom of association and occupational safety and health at the 
privately owned Mexican airline company, Executive Air Transport, Inc. 
(TAESA). The submitters allege that Mexico has failed to fulfill 
obligations under the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation 
(NAALC) in connection with freedom of association and protection of the 
right to organize, the right to bargain collectively, minimum labor 
standards, and occupational safety and health.
    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 objectives 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 
obligations set forth in the NAALC.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lewis Karesh, Acting Secretary, U.S. 
National Administrative Office, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, NW, Room C-4327, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 501-
6653 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 10, 1999, U.S. Submission #9901 
was filed by the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO, and the 
Association of Flight Attendants of Mexico (ASSA). The submission 
raises concerns about freedom of association and occupational safety 
and health at the privately owned Mexican airline company, Executive 
Air Transport, Inc. (TAESA).
    The submission focuses on the attempts of the flight attendants to 
organize at TAESA. The submitters allege that efforts to organize at 
TAESA were hindered by the federal labor board and TAESA management. 
They assert that the Mexican government has failed to fulfill its 
obligations under Part 2 of the NAALC to enforce levels of protection, 
government enforcement action, private action, and procedural 
guarantees in connection with freedom of association, the right to 
bargain collectively, minimum labor standards, and prevention of 
occupational injuries and illnesses.
    The procedural guidelines for the NAO, published in the Federal 
Register on April 7, 1994, 59 FR 16660, 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.
    U.S. Submission #9901 relates to labor law matters in Mexico. A 
review would appear to further the objectives of the NAALC, as set out 
in Article 1 of the NAALC, among them improving working conditions and 
living standards in each Party's territory, promoting the set of labor 
principles, and encouraging publication and exchange of information, 
data development and coordination to enhance mutually beneficial 
understanding of the laws and institutions governing labor in each 
Party's territory.
    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 objectives of the review 
will be to gather information to assist the NAO to better understand 
and publicly report on the freedom of association, the right to 
organize, and occupational safety and health raised in the submission, 
including the Government of Mexico's compliance with the obligations 
agreed to under Articles 2, 3, 4 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, DC on January 7, 2000.
Lewis Karesh,
Acting Secretary, U.S. National Administrative Office.
[FR Doc. 00-813 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am]
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