U.S. and Canadian government delegations witness the work of the Tijuana Migrant Worker Resource Center in providing access to justice and information on labour rights
6 May 2024
The Tijuana Migrant Workers Resource Center, managed by the trade union SUCOMM, illustrates the immense potential of expanding this effective global ILO model to Latin America.
- The Tijuana Migrant Workers Resource Center, managed by the trade union SUCOMM, illustrates the immense potential of expanding this effective global ILO model to Latin America.
- Between 2022, the year of its inauguration, and 2023, the number of migrants and refugees served tripled: from 372 to 1280 people attended, from 32 nationalities.
Tijuana, Baja California, April 30, 2024.- The Migrant Workers Resource Center (MWRC) of Tijuana, managed by Sindicatos Unidos con México Moderno (SUCOMM), welcomed a delegation from the governments of the United States of America and Canada to present its operating model, share results, and show how the Tijuana MWRC works with local partner organizations.
The visit was facilitated by the International Labour Organization (ILO), which provides the Tijuana MWRC both technical and financial support, with the objective of advancing the creation of a network of Centers throughout Latin America to improve migrant workers' access to labour rights and labour justice.
"The ILO's global Migrant Workers Resource Centers model is successful in contributing to the governance of safe, orderly and regular labour migration, through strengthening social dialogue and engaging the actors in the economy. To create sustainable solutions, it is critical to actively involve trade unions in providing access to information and justice and in the integration of migrants and refugees into labour markets," said Gladys Cisneros, ILO Branch Chief for Labour Migration.
To create sustainable solutions, it is critical to actively involve trade unions in providing access to information and justice and in the integration of migrants and refugees into labour markets
Regarding SUCOMM's role, Sol Merino, the union's representative in the state of Baja California and founder of the MWRCs in Tijuana and Cancun, said: "Our purpose is to expand the number of Centers and our services to respond to the growing demand, and to do so, we need to increase the number of personnel, train the work team continuously, and create new Centers in key areas, such as Tapachula and Ciudad Juarez. Each Center responds to a specific reality and adapts its services to the needs of the territory.”
For migrants such as Angie Wilches of Colombia, there is a need for information on labour rights and direct assistance for migration regularization for purposes of work. "I currently work in a school uniform factory as a seamstress. My experience at the Center has been very good. Everything has been very fast; I didn't think this was possible," Wilches shared.
I currently work in a school uniform factory as a seamstress. My experience at the Center has been very good. Everything has been very fast; I didn't think this was possible
Strategic alliances
Local partners, such as the Scalabrini Migrant Training Center (CESFOM), the Tijuana Salesian Project, the Baja California Secretary of Labor, among others, showed that the Tijuana MWRC is responding to a need to specifically address labour issues, creating a solid network and efficient reference model. The governmental delegation witnessed this coordination in action during a visit to the Mexican Commission for Refugee Aid (COMAR) facilities.
In an exchange with consular representatives from the countries with the largest number of nationalities served by the Tijuana MWRC — El Salvador, Guatemala, and Haiti—they discussed the need to continue strengthening ties with the Tijuana MWRC and stressed the importance of continuing to provide this type of advice and assistance to their fellow citizens.
The visit of the delegation of the Governments of the United States of America and Canada concluded with a tour of the Panasonic company facilities, to provide a perspective from the private sector on the labour migration situation in Tijuana.
The delegations were composed of representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor; the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration of the U.S. Department of State; the U.S. Embassy in Mexico; as well as its Consulate in Tijuana and the Canadian Embassy in Mexico. Representatives from the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare of Baja California also accompanied the delegation.
