The independent union SINTTIA has won a precedent-setting vote among four unions competing to represent over 6,000 workers at the GM Silao pickup truck factory in Guanajuato, Mexico in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

In the highly anticipated February 1-2 vote, 4,192 out of the 5,478 votes cast were for SINTTIA, 932 and 247 respectively for two unions linked to Mexico’s largest official union confederation, the CTM. A third union affiliated with Mexico’s second largest official union confederation, the CROC, only received 18 votes.

MSN and other labour rights and trade union organizations participating in the global #PayYourWorkers campaign are calling on lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret to pay the workers who sewed their products the US$7.8 million that they are owed.

Approximately 200 former employees of the Industrias Florenzi garment factory in El Salvador were owed US$1.3 million in severance pay since the factory closed in July 2020. Industrias Florenzi was a supplier for Barco Uniforms, producing Grey’s Anatomy brand medical scrubs and other products.

On December 23, garment worker unions in Sri Lanka signed a ground-breaking agreement with the employer organization Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) that addresses vitally important workplace issues for garment workers, especially during the pandemic.

In a joint statement, Clean Clothes Campaign, Labour behind the Label, Maquila Solidarity Network, Solidarity Center, War on Want, and Workers United welcome the important progress the union-employer agreement represents.