- Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum, as National Coordinator of the Committees in Defense of the Fourth Transformation, administered the oath to the Labor Defense Committees proposed by CATEM.
- During its XV National Ordinary Congress, CATEM unanimously endorsed the revision of its statutes.
- More than 25,000 individuals assembled at Arena CDMX in Azcapotzalco.
- 1,192 organizations affiliated with CATEM took part throughout Mexico.
- In her role as National Coordinator of the Committees in Defense of the Fourth Transformation, Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the Labor Defense Committees proposed by CATEM.
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, 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, emphasizing significant changes in the country and vowing 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 CATEM’s integral role in the Casa de la Cuarta Transformación, dedicated to the transformation of Mexico.
At CATEM’s XV National Ordinary Congress, delegates from over 1,192 union organizations unanimously voted to amend statutes before Sheinbaum’s arrival. Haces Barba underscored CATEM’s representation of modern unionism in Mexico with a strong international presence, highlighting pride in providing hope to thousands of workers, advancing new agendas for better working conditions and improved quality of life for Mexican families.
Haces Barba highlighted significant accomplishments in labor under the current government, including the approval of International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 98, aimed at swift and fair labor justice for all Mexican workers. He also noted the passing of what he termed the “reform of the century,” amending over half of the Federal Labor Law to allow workers to freely choose their unions for the first time in Mexican history, along with the newfound ability for workers to vote on their collective bargaining agreements.
Recognizing historical minimum wage increases in recent years—a 16% rise in 2019, 20% in 2020, 15% in 2021, 22% in 2022, and 20% in 2023—Haces Barba credited President López Obrador for prioritizing worker interests in his administration’s labor policy.
Emphasizing the role of entrepreneurs in job creation, Haces Barba urged leaving behind obsolete disputes in favor of adapting to new times.
At the XV National Congress, CATEM renewed its dedication to transforming Mexico’s labor landscape, emphasizing job security as a cornerstone of contemporary unionism.
The event drew notable guests, including governors like 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 businessmen 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.
