Before a gathering of 25,000 delegates from the Confederation of Autonomous Workers and Employees of Mexico (CATEM) at the Arena Ciudad de México in Azcapotzalco, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, as National Coordinator of the Committees in Defense of the Fourth Transformation, affirmed the alliance between CATEM, led by Senator Pedro Haces Barba, and the Fourth Transformation.
During the inauguration of the 10,000 Labor Defense Committees for the Fourth Transformation promoted by CATEM, Sheinbaum Pardo reiterated her ongoing commitment to labor rights and the increase of the minimum wage in Mexico. She also pledged continued support for enhancements in training and other benefits such as union freedom, underscoring that the country has undergone significant changes and reiterating the resolve not to regress to the past.
Pedro Haces Barba, the national leader of CATEM, expressed gratitude to Sheinbaum for her attendance as a special guest and emphasized that CATEM is and will remain an integral part of the Casa de la Cuarta Transformación, dedicated to transforming Mexico.
At CATEM’s XV National Ordinary Congress, prior to Sheinbaum’s arrival, delegates from over 1,192 union organizations unanimously voted to amend the statutes. Haces Barba highlighted that CATEM embodies modern unionism in Mexico with a notable international presence, proudly serving as a beacon of hope for thousands of workers in the country, advocating for improved working conditions and quality of life for Mexican families in this new era.
Pedro Haces Barba underscored the historic advancements in labor policies driven by the current administration. Notably, he highlighted the adoption of Convention 98 of the International Labor Organization (ILO), aimed at ensuring swift and equitable labor justice for all Mexican workers.
He also noted the passage of what he termed the “reform of the century,” a labor reform that revised over 50% of the Federal Labor Law, enabling workers to freely choose their union for the first time in Mexican history. He additionally mentioned the newfound ability of workers to vote on their collective bargaining agreements.
Haces Barba acknowledged the significant increases in the minimum wage over recent years: a 16% rise in 2019, 20% in 2020, 15% in 2021, 22% in 2022, and 20% in 2023, elevating the minimum wage from 88.36 pesos to 207.44 pesos within five years. He credited these advancements to President López Obrador, who has prioritized workers’ interests in his administration’s labor policies.
The CATEM leader stressed the pivotal role of entrepreneurs in job creation and emphasized the necessity of leaving behind outdated disputes in these new times.
At the XV National Congress, CATEM reaffirmed its dedication to transforming Mexico’s labor landscape, emphasizing job security as a cornerstone of modern unionism.
The event was attended by several distinguished guests, including governors such as Marina del Pilar Ávila from Baja California, Miguel Ángel Navarro from Nayarit, Mara Lezama from Quintana Roo, Sergio Salomón Céspedes from Puebla, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla from Michoacán, as well as federal and local legislators, and prominent business figures such as Juan Francisco Ealy Ortiz, José Miguel Becos, Miguel Rincón Arredondo, Reyes Soberanis Moreno, Guadalupe Phillips Margain, Carlos Peralta Quintero, Alfredo Domínguez Marrufo, Placido Humberto Morales Vázquez, Congressman Manuel Baldenegro, Juan Domingo Beckmann, and Rodrigo Ramírez.
