Introduction to White Unionism and the 2019 Labor Reform
Over a four-year period, legitimations were carried out in the country to eliminate “white unionism,” also known as white membership, a practice used by companies. However, the 2019 labor reform has not stopped its existence; instead, they now operate under different names while maintaining the same methods, according to Willebaldo Gómez, a researcher at UNAM and CILAS.
Case Study: The Carlos Leone Union
Gómez presented an investigation into the specific case of the Carlos Leone union, highlighting that although it’s not the only example, this case has drawn attention due to its operations in certain economic sectors, particularly services, industry, transportation, and logistics.
“There is a great controversy regarding the name of this pseudo-union since there is no concrete reference to this person, a common trait among white unions,” Gómez stated.
He explained that the 2019 Mexican labor reform, driven by commitments from the T-MEC (Tratado entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá), aims to eliminate these practices through the legitimation of contracts and new democratic union rules. These measures are designed to ensure that collective agreements genuinely reflect workers’ interests and empower employees.
However, Gómez pointed out that these “obstacles to labor democracy” linked to an authoritarian past that Mexico wants to leave behind through institutional changes in labor matters not only survive but appear to have grown stronger by adapting to legal changes through simulations and corruption of competent authorities.
The Carlos Leone Union Case: Operations and Influence Network
Gómez detailed how this union case operates, transitioning from an old union to a new name while retaining the same practices characteristic of white unionism.
“The Carlos Leone union case and its network of complicities, opacities, and lies exemplify and symbolize the white unionism problem. Often acting as mere control apparatuses rather than genuine labor interest representations, this affects the fight for labor rights. Inequality persists due to labor justice, and employee protection remains ineffective,” Gómez explained.
According to Willebaldo Gómez, this union organization has business structures to represent and sell protection to companies. They create an influence network, such as the Sindicato 17 de Febrero, where the legal representative is also the General Secretary. This individual serves as a leader in multiple unions, sharing portfolios with several members of the same leadership.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is white unionism? White unionism, or “sindicalismo de membrete,” refers to a practice where companies create fake unions to control workers and suppress genuine labor representation.
- Why was the 2019 labor reform implemented? The reform aimed to eliminate white unionism practices by legitimizing contracts and introducing new democratic union rules to ensure authentic collective agreements reflecting workers’ interests.
- How has white unionism persisted despite the reform? White unionism has adapted to legal changes through simulations and corruption, allowing it to continue operating under different names while maintaining its original methods.
- What is the Carlos Leone union case about? The Carlos Leone union is an example of white unionism, operating with a network of complicit individuals and companies to control workers and undermine genuine labor representation.
