Home > School of Law > Law School Journals > ILJ > Vol. 26 > Iss. 2 (2025)
San Diego International Law Journal
Document Type
Comment
Abstract
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) introduced the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRLM) to strengthen labor rights enforcement in North American trade. While the mechanism marks a significant departure from NAFTA’s weaker labor provisions, its implementation has revealed systemic shortcomings. The RRLM relies on voluntary compliance, lacks binding remediation requirements, and has an underutilized panel review process, limiting its effectiveness. Economic asymmetry between the United States and Mexico further complicates enforcement, as Mexico bears a disproportionate burden despite having fewer resources to uphold labor standards. Additionally, corporate accountability remains elusive, with companies facing no direct obligations to integrate USMCA labor commitments into their operations. This analysis critically examines the RRLM’s enforcement trajectory, assessing its structural limitations, the role of U.S. oversight, and the broader challenges of trade-based labor protections. Without procedural reforms, greater transparency, and stronger institutional support, the RRLM risks serving as a symbolic rather than substantive tool for labor rights enforcement. As the USMCA approaches its 2026 review, its success will depend on whether enforcement efforts translate into lasting structural change rather than temporary compliance.
Recommended Citation
Ruby Carlon,
Labor Rights Under the USMCA: Progress, Shortcomings, and the Road Ahead,
26
San Diego Int'l L.J.
255
(2025)
Available at:
https://digital.sandiego.edu/ilj/vol26/iss2/4
