22 February, 2012
from IMF
From Seoul to Pretoria, Geneva to Mexico City, unions are taking joint action during the week of 19-25 February 19-25 to urge the government of Mexico to stop its attack on independent trade unions and freedom of association.
International mobilizations kicked off in the main square of Mexico City on 19 February, in remembrance of 65 miners who died in the Pasta de Conchos mine explosion on that date six years ago. On 21 February, actions took place in Mexico, Geneva and London.
And the United Steelworkers (USW) used the eve of the Week of Action to again condemn the actions of Canadian mining company Excellon for its damaging behaviour in Mexico. Excellon’s only Mexican operation, the Platosa mine, brings problems for workers, landowners, and the environment.
The Tri-National Solidarity Alliance, which joins unions from Canada, Mexico and the US held a meeting of Solidarity at the headquarters of the Mexican Electricians Union (SME) in Mexico City. Speakers at the event, including IMF Executive Committee member and exiled leader of the National Union of Miners and Metal Workers of Mexico (SNTMMRM) NapoleónGómez (via video conference), denounced the Mexican government’s attacks on fundamental workers’ rights and called for the implementation of ILO recommendations adopted by the Governing Body in March 2011.
In Switzerland, a group of 20 ICEM, IMF, UNI and IUF activists held a small action outside of the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the UN in Geneva. Manfred Warda, Jyrki Raina, Philip Jennings, Fernando Lopes, Kemal Özkan met with Mr. Juan José Gómez Camacho, Ambassador to the Mexico mission.
Discussions between the Norwegian Foreign Ministry and trade union Fellesforbundet are underway ahead of a planned visit to Mexico by the Foreign Ministry later this month. The union has been briefing Norway’s government on the issue of Protection Contracts in Mexico and the ongoing attacks on fundamental worker freedoms.
Mexico’s Embassy in London met with a delegation from the Trades Union Congress (TUC), and unions Unite and GMB, and Amnesty International and the Southern and Eastern Regional TUC on 21 February. Similar actions are planned for major cities in the US, including Chicago, Tucson, Boston and Denver, and in Korea, Pakistan, South Africa and Canada.
Unions around the world are also supporting the global action by sending protest letter to the Mexican government in care of their respective embassies and consulates.
For more information go to: www.imfmetal.org/Mexico2012