No Worker Protections, No USMCA Extension Toolkit

The IBEW is calling on all members to mobilize now and urge their members of Congress to oppose extending the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) without fundamental changes that support American workers and protect union jobs. 

The USMCA, sometimes called NAFTA 2.0, is scheduled for a major review in July 2026. During this process, the three countries will decide whether to extend the pact for another 16 years.  USMCA has not lived up to its promises: 

  • It has not stopped corporations from offshoring jobs to lower-wage countries 
  • It has not leveled the playing field for American workers 
  • It has not revived American manufacturing   

For IBEW members, this issue directly impacts union job opportunities, wages, and bargaining power. Electrical manufacturing, energy infrastructure, and supply-chain industries that support IBEW industries are heavily affected by trade policy. When companies move production to Mexico to take advantage of lower wages and weaker labor enforcement, it threatens good-paying union jobs in the United States.  Worse, corporations often undercut workers at the bargaining table by threatening to move production overseas.   

Why this matters to IBEW members:

  • Good-paying union jobs remain vulnerable to corporate outsourcing 
  • Wage gaps between countries weaken union bargaining power 
  • Weak labor enforcement allows companies to undercut union standards   

Congress must demand that any extension of the USMCA protects workers and strengthens labor standards across North America.   

What changes do we want?  

  • Stricter “Rules of Origin” requirements to make more products in the US, 
  • Higher labor and environmental standards (including the Rapid Response Mechanism), and  
  • Better ways to enforce USMCA’s terms.   

Tell your members of Congress to oppose extending USMCA without worker protections by using the toolkit below: 

  • Letter Campaign: Visit https://bit.ly/4lVee41 to send a letter to your members of Congress. Enter your mailing address, click “Start Writing,” and a sample letter will populate, telling your members of Congress to oppose extending USMCA without worker protections. 
  • Social Media Post with Graphics: Share this post and one of the graphics on your social media to inform fellow IBEW members about this issue: 
    • “I’m a proud IBEW member who believes USMCA (NAFTA 2.0) should not be extended unless American workers and union jobs are protected. Because of weak U.S. trade policy, corporations are still outsourcing jobs to foreign countries with lower wages and weaker labor laws.  Stand with the IBEW and tell Congress to demand that any USMCA extension raises wages, strengthens labor standards, and cracks down on offshoring. Write to your members of Congress today! https://bit.ly/4lVee41” [Insert SM graphic 1, graphic 2, and/or graphic 3] 
  • Additional Resources: Share these resources with fellow IBEW members: 
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