The United States has invoked the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to investigate potential labor rights violations at Alimentos Grole, S.A. de C.V., a major pork processor in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora.
The facility, part of the Soles Company group, produces more than 300,000 tons of fresh pork annually for both domestic and export markets. U.S. officials have temporarily suspended liquidation of unliquidated entries of goods from the facility pending the review.
The action follows a July 29 petition from current and former workers affiliated with a Mexican labor union who allege the company threatened and dismissed employees to discourage union organizing while supporting a company-aligned internal union.
After reviewing the petition, U.S. officials found sufficient evidence to request that Mexico conduct a formal investigation. Under the USMCA rules, Mexico now has 10 days to agree to the review and 45 days to complete it if it moves forward.
The case underscores ongoing U.S. scrutiny of labor rights enforcement within cross-border trade agreements, particularly in the agricultural sector.
