U.S. and Mexican officials stated on Tuesday that 13,000 Mexican migrant workers are due a total of $6.5 million in unpaid wages from U.S. workplaces and that they will cooperate to aid beneficiaries currently living in Mexico in claiming their money from U.S. labor authorities.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar said the endeavor signified an unprecedented alliance between the U.S. and Mexico to help employees who for years had short-changed.
“In past governments, this would not have happened,” he remarked at an event in Mexico City with Mexican labor representatives.
“Now, because of the relationship we have… workers who have paid with their sweat will receive the pay they deserve.”
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, which implements labor law and retrieves unpaid wages, determined who was owed back wages through its investigation of U.S. workplaces, Mexico’s Labor Ministry stated.
It will submit a list of names with Mexican officials so they can try and locate the workers, many of whom were not paid the legal minimum or for overtime.
Officials did not specify the industries or companies that hired the workers or the time period for which they were paid.
According to Thea Lee, the US Labor Department’s deputy undersecretary for international affairs, the attempt to assist Mexican employees was a pilot program that demonstrated the US commitment to workers in the country, regardless of their migration status.
“They deserve protection under our laws,” she stated during the event via video transmission.
Mexico will also initiate a public campaign to motivate workers to apply for benefits if they believe they are eligible.
“The work ahead is to find these 13,000,” Mexican Labor Minister Luisa Alcalde stated.
