Mexico to review alleged labor rights violations at Atento centers (updated)

Atento SA

30/01/2024 17:11

(Adds prior U.S. finding in paragraph 3, details from statement
in paragraphs 5-6)
       MEXICO CITY, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Mexico accepted a formal
request from the United States on Tuesday to review alleged
labor rights violations at call centers belonging to Spanish
company Atento in the central Mexican state of Hidalgo.
    Mexico's economy ministry announced it accepted the request
from U.S. trade officials in a joint statement along with the
Mexican labor ministry.
        Earlier this month, the U.S. government said it found
evidence of 
    "egregious" labor rights violations
     at Atento call centers in Mexico.
  
        Atento, which operates two Hidalgo call centers offering
customer service to BBVA bank customers, did not immediately
respond to a request to comment.
  
        Mexican authorities have 45 days to conduct a review to
determine if there was a denial of labor rights at the company,
the statement noted.
  
        It added that the review is part of a rapid response
labor mechanism in the USMCA North American trade pact, that
includes both the United States and Mexico.
  

 (Reporting by Raul Cortes Fernandez and Valentine Hilaire;
Editing by David Alire Garcia)
 ((Valentine.Hilaire@thomsonreuters.com;))