Collaboration with Foreign Embassies
The National Labor Relations Board is a strong proponent of outreach to the public to promote broader awareness of workers’ rights protected under the NLRA and of the services the Agency provides to workers, employers, and unions to guarantee those rights. It is of utmost importance to provide the public with information, guidance, and access to resources regarding rights and responsibilities under the Act and to develop ways to most effectively communicate such information.
Some outreach highlights include the Agency’s collaboration with foreign embassies/ministries/consulates in formalizing agreements to collectively promote the education of workers and business owners. To date, the Agency has entered into five such agreements. Under each of the agreements, the parties have committed to cooperate to provide outreach, education, and training to community members. Those agreements include:
- Mexico. On August 23, 2024, General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Mexican Ambassador to the United States Esteban Moctezuma signed a Letter of Arrangement (LOA) strengthening ties between the NLRB, the Mexican Embassy, and its consulates around the country. The LOA expands upon the collaboration that has existed for many years between local NLRB offices around the country and the network of Mexican consulates across the United States, by enhancing efforts to provide Mexican workers, their employers, and Mexican business owners in the United States with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act.
- Dominican Republic On March 12, 2024, General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Ambassador of the Dominican Republic Sonia Guzmán signed a Letter of Arrangement (LOA) strengthening ties between the NLRB, the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, and its consulates around the country. The LOA enhances efforts to provide Dominican workers, their employers, and Dominican business owners in the United States with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act.
- El Salvador On May 10, 2022, General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Ambassador of El Salvador to the United States Milena Mayorga signed a Letter of Arrangement (LOA) strengthening ties between the NLRB, the Salvadoran Embassy, and its consulates around the country. The LOA enhances efforts to provide Salvadoran workers, their employers, and Salvadoran business owners in the United States with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act.
- Guatemala On May 10, 2022, General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Guatemalan Ambassador to the United States Alfonso Quiñónez signed a Letter of Arrangement (LOA) strengthening ties between the NLRB, the Guatemalan Embassy, and its consulates around the country. The LOA enhances efforts to provide Guatemalan workers, their employers, and Guatemalan business owners in the United States with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act.
- Honduras On May 10, 2022, General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Honduran Charge d’Affaires Javier Efraín Bu Soto signed a Letter of Arrangement (LOA) strengthening ties between the NLRB, the Honduran Embassy, and its consulates around the country. The LOA enhances efforts to provide Honduran workers, their employers, and Honduran business owners in the United States with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act.
- Colombia. On June 11, 2015, NLRB General Counsel Griffin entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Colombian Ambassador Luis Carols Villegas., also containing substantially similar terms to the previous Memoranda.
- Philippines. On October 22, 2014, NLRB General Counsel Griffin entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Philippine Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., also containing substantially similar terms to the previous two Memoranda.
- Ecuador. On August 19, 2014, NLRB General Counsel Richard F. Griffin, Jr. and Ecuadorian Ambassador Nathalie Cely entered into a Memorandum of Understanding containing substantially similar terms to the Letter of Agreement with the Ambassador of Mexico.
- Mexico. On July 23, 2013, former Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon and Mexican Ambassador Eduardo Medina Mora signed a Letter of Agreement strengthening ties between the NLRB and the Mexican Embassy and its 50 consulates around the country. The Agreement was an outgrowth of the collaboration that has existed for many years between local NLRB offices around the country and the network of Mexican consulates in major American cities. The Agreement has proved helpful as a means by which NLRB agents and consular officials can collaborate to reach out to Mexican workers and business owners.