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Puebla meeting

Government-to-government session for an exchange of information and a seminar with stakeholders on the topics of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining per the Ministerial Consultations Joint Declaration Resolving Issues Raised in Public Communications US 2003-01 and CAN 2003-1



Opening
From left to right: Charlotte Ponticelli, Jorge Rodríguez and Pierre Bouchard


Date: December 2nd and 3rd, 2008

Venue: Hotel Marriott Real, Puebla, Mexico

Background
On April 24, 2008, the Minister of Labour of Canada, the Secretary of Labor of the United States and the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare of Mexico signed the Ministerial Consultations Joint Declaration Resolving Issues Raised in Public Communications US 2003-01 and CAN 2003-1. The Joint Declaration addresses the principles of freedom of association and protection of the right to organize and bargain collectively under the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC).

In a spirit of cooperation, the Ministers of Labor of the three countries agreed in the Joint Declaration to undertake several activities to resolve the issues raised in the above-mentioned public communications and to gain a better understanding of the three countries' labor laws and practices through information sharing, outreach and the exchange of best practices. As mandated in the Joint Declaration, the National Administrative Offices (NAOs) collaboratively developed a work plan for carrying out the activities, which the Council Designees approved in August 2008.

The first two activities agreed upon in the Joint Declaration were a government-to-government session in Puebla with federal and state/provincial officials of the three countries, and a seminar with stakeholders to share and build upon the information gathered during the government-to-government exchange. These activities took place in Puebla, Mexico, on December 2, and 3, 2008, respectively.

Scope
The government session, held on December 2, 2008, included federal and state/provincial officials from the United States, Mexico and Canada. Country representatives delivered presentations on labour legislation and practices in the federal and state/provincial jurisdictions in their respective countries. Each panel session was followed by a discussion and a period of "Questions and Answers".

As agreed in the Joint Declaration, the results of this working session were shared with additional stakeholders during the seminar in Puebla. The seminar was open to participants who were invited by the three governments. A government official made a presentation at the beginning of each session, and a non-governmental commentator then identified similarities and differences among the countries on the basis of the panelist presentations. Each session concluded with a period of discussion and questions and answers.

The information shared in the government-to-government working session and the seminar will be included in the documents which the Secretariat of the Commission for Labor Cooperation is preparing according to the Joint Declaration and the work plan.

Objective
In the government-to-government working session, organized by the Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare of Mexico and the Secretariat of Labor and Competitiveness of Puebla, in collaboration with the US and Canadian NAOs, and the Secretariat of the Commission for Labor Cooperation, federal and state/provincial officials of the governments of the three NAALC countries exchanged information on best practices in the federal and state/provincial jurisdictions regarding the processing of workers’ complaints of unjustified dismissal, transparent procedures for the registration of unions, and access to collective agreements and labor-management cooperation mechanisms, in Canada, Mexico and the United States. In the seminar, federal and state/provincial officials of the governments of the three NAALC countries shared with other stakeholders the information gathered in the government-to-government session, carried out on December 2nd, 2008.

To access the final list of attendees, click here.

Participants
 
   
 
 AGENDA
 
                        
 
 
Government-to-Government Session

December 2nd, 2008 
 
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Registration
 
9:00 – 9:30 a.m. Opening
                         Commission for Labor Cooperation Council Designees
•  Jorge Rodríguez, Jefe de la Unidad de Asuntos Internacionales. [BIO] 
•  Charlotte Ponticelli, Deputy Undersecretary for International 
   Labor Affairs. [BIO]
•  Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
   Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO]
9:30 – 11:00 a.m. First session: Processing of workers’ complaints of unjustified 
                           dismissal in the federal and state/provincial jurisdictions
 
                               • Processing complaints of unjustified dismissal
                               • Competent labor authorities, procedures and resolution
                                 of complaints of unjustified dismissal
Canada
             Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
             Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Mexico
             Fernando Castro, Procurador Federal en Puebla, Procuraduría  
             Federal de la Defensa del Trabajo, Federal government 
             [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
             Jorge Sánchez, Chair, Local Conciliation and Arbitration Board                - Toluca, Local Government – Estado de México 
              [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
United States
             Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel, Division of 
             Operations-Management - National Labor Relations Board 
             [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
 Moderator
             Adrián Rojas, Director de Legislación, Dirección General de 
             Asuntos Jurídicos – Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare [BIO]

11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Second session: Transparent procedures for the registration of

                             unions in the federal and state/provincial jurisdictions
 
                              • Requirements for the registration of unions
                              • Competent authorities for the registration of unions
                              • Procedures for the registration of unions
Mexico
             Pablo Muñoz, Director General de Registro de Asociaciones, 
             Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare, Federal Government [BIO]
            Eric Padilla, Chair, Local Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Local
            Government - Querétaro [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
United States
             Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel - National Labor 
             Relations Board [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
            Carlos Quintana, Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department
            of Labor [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Canada 
            Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
            Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Moderator
            Ricardo del Castillo, Alberta Government Office in Mexico-
           Embassy of Canada [BIO]
12:30 – 2:00 p.m. Third session: Access to Collective Bargaining Agreements in the
                           Federal and State/Provincial Jurisdictions

                             • Procedure of negotiation and adoption of collective bargaining
                               agreements
                             • Procedure to access collective bargaining agreements
United States
           Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel - National Labor 
          Relations Board [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Carlos Quintana, Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department
           of Labor [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Canada 
           Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
           Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Mexico
           Gary Pérez, Secretario Auxiliar de Conflictos Colectivos, Federal 
           Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Federal Government
           [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Benjamín Pereyra, Titular de la Unidad de Registro de Contratos 
           Colectivos y Reglamentos Interiores de Trabajo, Federal 
           Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Federal Government
           [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Delia Guzmán, Chair, Junta Especial 3, Local Government - Puebla
           [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Moderator
           Kevin Richardson, Labor Counselor - US Embassy in Mexico [BIO]
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Fourth session: Labor-management Cooperation Mechanisms in the
                           Federal and State/Provincial Jurisdictions
 
                           • Labor-management cooperation mechanisms in the workplace
                           • Public labor-management conciliation mechanisms 
                           • Counseling and representation mechanisms for workers and unions
Mexico
           Rosa Chanona, Procuradora Federal de Zona Metropolitana, 
           Procuraduría Federal de la Defensa del Trabajo, Federal
           Government [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Gustavo Hernández, Subprocurador General de Asesoría y Apoyo 
           Técnico, Federal Government [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Gary Pérez, Secretario Auxiliar de Conflictos Colectivos, Federal 
           Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Federal
           Government [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Benigno Benavides, Chair, Local Conciliation and Arbitration
           Board, Local Government – Nuevo León [BIO] 
United States
            Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel - National Labor
            Relations Board [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Canada
            Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
            Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Moderator 
            José Ayala, Procurador de la Defensa del Trabajo del estado de
           Puebla [BIO]
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Closing remarks         
United States
            Charlotte Ponticelli, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs 
            - Department of Labor [BIO]
Canada
            Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for  Inter-American Labor
            Cooperation, HRSDC [BIO]
Mexico
           Jorge Rodríguez, Jefe de la Unidad de Asuntos Internacionales. 
           [BIO] 
 

                              
 
Seminar with Other Relevant Stakeholders

December 3rd, 2008 
 
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Registration
 
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Opening
                         Commission for Labor Cooperation Council Designees
•  Jorge Rodríguez, Jefe de la Unidad de Asuntos Internacionales. [BIO] 
•  Charlotte Ponticelli, Deputy Undersecretary for International 
   Labor Affairs. [BIO]
•  Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
   Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO]
9:00 – 10:30 a.m. First session: Processing of workers’ complaints of unjustified 
                           dismissal in the federal and state/provincial jurisdictions
 
                               • Processing complaints of unjustified dismissal
                               • Competent labor authorities, procedures and resolution
                                 of complaints of unjustified dismissal
Canada
             Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
             Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Mexico
             Fernando Castro, Procurador Federal en Puebla, Procuraduría  
             Federal de la Defensa del Trabajo, Federal government 
             [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
             Jorge Sánchez, Chair, Local Conciliation and Arbitration Board                - Toluca, Local Government – Estado de México 
              [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
United States
             Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel, Division of 
             Operations-Management - National Labor Relations Board 
             [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
 Moderator
             Adrián Rojas, Director de Legislación, Dirección General de 
             Asuntos Jurídicos – Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare [BIO]

10:30 – 12:00 p.m. Second session: Transparent procedures for the registration of

                             unions in the federal and state/provincial jurisdictions
 
                              • Requirements for the registration of unions
                              • Competent authorities for the registration of unions
                              • Procedures for the registration of unions
Mexico
             Pablo Muñoz, Director General de Registro de Asociaciones, 
             Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare, Federal Government [BIO]
            Eric Padilla, Chair, Local Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Local
            Government - Querétaro [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
United States
             Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel - National Labor 
             Relations Board [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
            Carlos Quintana, Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department
            of Labor [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Canada 
            Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
            Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Commentator 
            Fernando Yllanes, Bufete Yllanes [BIO]
Moderator
            Ricardo del Castillo, Alberta Government Office in Mexico-
           Embassy of Canada [BIO]
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Third session: Access to Collective Bargaining Agreements in the
                           Federal and State/Provincial Jurisdictions

                             • Procedure of negotiation and adoption of collective bargaining
                               agreements
                             • Procedure to access collective bargaining agreements
United States
           Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel - National Labor 
          Relations Board [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Carlos Quintana, Attorney, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department
           of Labor [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Canada 
           Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
           Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Mexico
           Gary Pérez, Secretario Auxiliar de Conflictos Colectivos, Federal 
           Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Federal Government
           [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Benjamín Pereyra, Titular de la Unidad de Registro de Contratos 
           Colectivos y Reglamentos Interiores de Trabajo, Federal 
           Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Federal Government
           [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Delia Guzmán, Chair, Junta Especial 3, Local Government - Puebla
           [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Commentator
           Rafael Estrada, Academic [BIO]
Moderator
           Kevin Richardson, Labor Counselor - US Embassy in Mexico [BIO]
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Fourth session: Labor-management Cooperation Mechanisms in the
                         Federal and State/Provincial Jurisdictions
 
                           • Labor-management cooperation mechanisms in the workplace
                           • Public labor-management conciliation mechanisms 
                           • Counseling and representation mechanisms for workers and unions
Mexico
           Rosa Chanona, Procuradora Federal de Zona Metropolitana, 
           Procuraduría Federal de la Defensa del Trabajo, Federal
           Government [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Gustavo Hernández, Subprocurador General de Asesoría y Apoyo 
           Técnico, Federal Government [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Gary Pérez, Secretario Auxiliar de Conflictos Colectivos, Federal 
           Conciliation and Arbitration Board, Federal
           Government [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
           Benigno Benavides, Chair, Local Conciliation and Arbitration
           Board, Local Government – Nuevo León [BIO] 
United States
            Richard Siegel, Associate General Counsel - National Labor
            Relations Board [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Canada
            Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for Inter-American Labour
            Cooperation, HRSDC. [BIO] [PRESENTATION]
Commentator 
            Miriam Rodríguez, Compliance Manager for the Americas, 
            Levi Strauss & Co. [BIO]
Moderator 
            José Ayala, Procurador de la Defensa del Trabajo del estado de
           Puebla [BIO]
3:00 p.m. Closing remarks         
United States
            Charlotte Ponticelli, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs 
            - Department of Labor [BIO]
Canada
            Pierre Bouchard, Director, Office for  Inter-American Labor
            Cooperation, HRSDC [BIO]
Mexico
           Jorge Rodríguez, Jefe de la Unidad de Asuntos Internacionales.
           [BIO] 
 
 
Closing remarks
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