MEXICO’S Senate approved an overhaul of the country’s labour laws last night to ensure that workers can freely vote for their union representation and contracts.

The new law requires secret-ballot union votes and proof of workers’ consent for contracts. 
 
Labour Secretary Maria Luisa Alcalde called it “a historic vote,” saying: “Congress has voted in favour of freedom and union democracy.”
 
Mexico’s labour movement has long been stymied, with wages kept low, by pro-government unions that sign contracts and organise plants behind workers’ backs.
 
Because of a lack of transparency, companies were often able to sign contracts with compliant union representatives before they had even opened plants in Mexico. 
 
Unions were often so absent that many workers were unaware of any union involvement at their plant. Votes were often held by a show of hands, in sight of union enforcers, or workers were not invited to vote at all.
 
Old-guard union leaders were often active members of the former ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, whom the government often allowed to hold office for decades with little oversight or scrutiny.
 
The new law transfers the resolution of disputes over contracts and union representation to special courts.
 
Since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador came to power in December last year, unions have staged a wave of strikes and formed new federations to take advantage of the greater freedom.
 
The Bill now goes to the president to be signed into law.