UNION USES FEDERAL FUNDS TO PROMOTE HOME

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 002348 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL/AWH AND ILSCR, WHA/MEX USDOL FOR ILAB E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB ECON PGOV PINR SOCI MX SUBJECT: UNION USES FEDERAL FUNDS TO PROMOTE HOME IMPROVEMENTS REF: 07 MEXICO 3444 ¶1. SUMMARY: The Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM), Mexico,s largest labor federation, is expanding an initiative it began earlier this year to improve living conditions for workers into the northern Mexican state of Coahuila. The initiative being implemented under union auspices uses GOM federal funds to make short-term interest free loans for the purposes of home improvement. The loan amounts are relatively small, ranging from approximately USD 500 ) 2,200 and would only be available to workers whose effective wage is less than USD 500.00 per month. Despite the modest amounts involved the potential for this expanded loan program in a place like Coahuila could be significant given that the CTM there has been accused promoting job growth at the expense of work rights, wages and health conditions (Ref). One of the broader benefits of this program could also be an expanded sense of pride in home ownership among workers at the lower end of Mexico,s wage scale. Increasing this sense of pride among low wage workers could strengthen their times to Mexico and, to a limited degree, reduce one of the push factors the prompt Mexicans to migrate to the US. End Summary. CTM EXPANDS SOCIAL PROGRAM TO COAHUILA -------------- ¶2. The Confederation of Mexican Workers (CTM),the country,s largest single labor federation, has chosen the northern Mexican state of Coahuila as the next place to expand one of its social programs. In its heyday, the CTM, which is roughly equivalent to the AFL-CIO in the US, often attempted to be all things to all people in terms of labor related issues. At one point the CTM even had its own nationally chartered bank and its own university. To some extent the federation still conducts a number of social programs but its membership, influence and resources declined significantly in recent years because of changes in Mexican politics and society. ¶3. The CTM is officially tied to Mexico,s former ruling political party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). The state of Coahuila is currently governed by the PRI and in fact has never had a non-PRI Governor. In the past, at least at the national level, these ties to the PRI, previously the official government party, helped insure that affiliated labor unions received favorable hearings with the Mexican government which in turn would intercede on their behalf with both public and private employers. Now that the PRI is no longer in power its ability to support the CTM has been significantly reduced and in many parts of Mexico the federation is a shadow of its former self. That said, one of the places where the CTM remains a dominant force is in Coahuila. In order to help the union maintain that position the federation,s national office chose Coahuila as one of five states (the others being Puebla, Sonora, Tamualipas and Hidalgo) where it is launching a new housing related social program. UNION TO CHANNEL HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS -------------- ¶4. Taking advantage of federally provided funds the CTM has begun working with a savings and loan type institution to provide what could best be described as a type of mini loans. These loans are interest free and can only be used for the purposes of home improvement for low income workers. Interestingly, in order to qualify for this loan the home in question does not need to be in the workers, own name although it must ultimately belong to a family member. In theory, under the federal law that authorizes these loans they can be made available via a government agency or NGO to almost any qualifying Mexican citizen but in practice the CTM appears to be the main non-governmental entity facilitating the disbursement of these funds. The CTM has obtained 50 million pesos (USD 5 million) from the GOM for the specific uses of home improvement loans in Coahuila. ¶5. The loans the CTM is helping to disburse will be in the amounts of $5,000 ) 22,000 peso or roughly USD 500.00 ) 2,200.00. In order to qualify the loan applicant,s salary cannot exceed five times the Mexican daily minimum wage which MEXICO 00002348 002 OF 003 is approximately USD 4.67 and which would amount to just under USD 470.00 per month. The standard practice is to approve these loans and disburse the funds within 48 hours after receipt of an application with all necessary supporting documentation. Approved applicants receive their money directly (via bank deposit or check) and they are free to use the funds in any mix of material or labor costs that they see fit. ¶6. As mentioned above, these loans are interest free but they must be repaid in full during a period not to exceed 9 months. The way repayment is being handled in Coahuila is via automatic deductions from the worker,s salary. The Coahuila CTM states that these automatic deductions are possible because of the close relationship it has with the private companies with whom it has signed collective bargaining agreements. Once the loan is repaid the recipients can apply for another for a total of five separate loans. However, to ensure that the loans are being used for their intended purpose the CTM (or whatever other entity that is handling disbursement) must undertake to conduct on-site inspection to verify that the home improvements where actually carried out in accordance with the terms of the approved loan applications. The CTM in Coahuila expects that is members will be able to start receiving home improvement loans prior to the end of August 2008. A WIN FOR THE WORKER AND A BIGGER ONE FOR THE CTM -------------- -------------- ¶7. The CTM in Coahuila announced the launch of this home improvement loan program at its state level offices in the capital city of Saltillo before an assembly of union delegates (shop stewards). Mission Mexico,s Labor Counselor was present for the announcement which took place on July 23 and the high level of excitement interest and excitement among the delegates was unmistakable. A CTM official from the federation,s national office who was also at the event commented on the excitement by explaining to Labor Counselor that nearly sixty percent of all CTM union members earn only five times the daily minimum wage or less. Consequently, the official said, this type of program would automatically include more than half of all CTM union members nationwide. ¶8. The remarks by this national level union official essentially confirmed for Mission Labor Counselor comments made previously about the labor situation in Coahuila. In 2007, a knowledgeable American labor observer with long experience with both the US and Mexican organized labor movements noted that while Coahuila has done very well generating jobs in recent years most of these jobs pay only the equivalent of between USD 45-65 per week (REF). These wages, the American observer stated, were too low to deter local residents from leaving Mexico when they have the clear example of how much more people are paid for similar manufacturing (or unskilled) jobs in the United States. However, the American averred, these wages were more than enough to prompt the migration of workers into Coahuila from other parts of Mexico to backfill jobs being abandoned. ¶9. Continuing on, the American labor contact stated that the wages of these newly arriving workers were so low that they often lived in dilapidated and crowded housing conditions which were reportedly creating serious and grow health problems in Coahuila. Thus, by launching a social program specifically aimed at those most likely to live in poor housing one could conclude that the Coahuila CTM was taking steps to improve the lot of its members and responding to international criticism. In other words, while the CTM in Coahuila was undoubtedly helping the workers it was helping itself by beginning to put to rest criticisms that appear to have at least some basis in fact. COMMENT -------------- ¶10. It should be noted that the salary figures mentioned in para 8 above by the American and Mexican labor officials differ from the official statistics provided by the GOM. According to INEGI, the GOM,s National Statistics Institute, the average salary of a typical worker in Coahuila is nearly USD 90.00 per week. The higher wages given by GOM figures MEXICO 00002348 003 OF 003 certainly give a better picture of worker salaries in Coahuila than those supplied by the union officials but in looking at the two sets of numbers one should consider their respective sources. Mexican labor union officials are (theoretically) supported by member dues which are collected based on a percentage of a worker,s salary. These officials would have no reason to under-report wages since that would mean intentionally forgoing potential income. In is, therefore, in their own self interest to know exactly how much workers get paid. The GOM figures are the official numbers and INEGI is generally viewed as a reliable government agency. However, it is not too difficult to imagine that a GOM agency might be inclined to provide salary figures that portray government efforts to create good paying jobs and fight poverty in as favorable a light as possible. ¶11. Finally, with respect to the home improvement loan initiative that the CTM is undertaking using GOM federally provided funds, there is a chance that this program could have some unexpected benefits; especially in a place like Coahuila. It must be noted that this is not the only housing related program the GOM is supporting and its other initiatives appear to be making a positive difference. However, this initiative is the only one being overseen by a national labor federation for its lowest income union members and if the CTM,s experience in other Mexican states is any indication, the initiative will be extremely popular with unionized workers. In fact the CTM was concerned that the funds allocated for Coahuila might be insufficient to matter pent up demand. Helping workers improve their housing will undoubted increase their pride in home ownership and could indirectly increase these individuals, ties to Mexico. In hard dollars and cents (or peso and centavos) terms it would certainly be better for the workers if they were paid wages high enough to provide them with sufficient disposable income to improve their own homes. However, in the absences of something like this happening an interest free loan repaid through direct salary deductions is potentially a very attractive alternative. An increase in pride of home ownership will most likely also increase these workers ties to Mexico. If that happens they might be less likely to abandon Mexico and migrate to the US in search of jobs and better living conditions. Right now this is all very speculative but the potential exists and, if nothing else, recent experience with the home improvement program shows that workers are taking out loans in significant numbers and universally using the funds for its intended purpose. ¶12. This message was cleared with AmConsul Monterrey. Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / WILLIAMS