1 December, 2010Calling for trade union rights in Mexico, the international trade union movement is holding various actions including rallies, meetings with Mexican ambassadors, and letter and mass email communication in at least 30 countries around the world from February 14 to 19, 2011.
GLOBAL: The actions coincide with the fifth anniversary of the deaths of 65 miners at the Pasta de Conchos mine disaster in Mexico on February 19, 2006.
The Mexican Miners' Union, the union that called for justice following the mine disaster, has faced systematic, frequently violent and escalating violations of worker and trade union rights by employers and the Mexican government.
Other independent trade unions in Mexico seeking to improve the rights of working people have also increasingly come under attack in recent years through the tolerance, complicity and, on many occasions, the direct action of the Mexican state.
Unions are demanding the Mexican government stop violating fundamental trade union rights and start complying with its own laws and international standards on human and trade union rights.
You can support the action through the LabourStart Act NOW campaign where you can send a letter directly to President Caldéron demanding trade union rights in Mexico.
To send a letter through the LabourStart go to: http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=863
Campaign materials, including posters, flyers, background information and model letter to embassies, supporting these actions can be found on this page of the IMF website:
http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=24820&l=2
The actions are to support independent unions including the Mexican Miners' Union (SNTMMSRM), the Mexican Electrical Workers' Union (SME), the UNTyPP union representing workers in Mexico's state-owned petroleum company PEMEX, the National Union of General Tyre Workers of Mexico (SNTGTM) and the Union of the Autonomous University of Mexico's Workers (SUTUACM), as well as the Mexican Telephone Workers' Union (STRM), Authentic Workers' Front (FAT) and up to thirty other unions affiliated to the National Union of Workers (UNT) who have all faced violent attacks, intimidation and repression of trade union rights.
Trade unions in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Korea, Kosovo, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the U.S. are calling on the Mexican government to respect trade union rights in a series of actions from 14 to 19 February 2011.
In Mexico itself, the independent trade union movement will be holding various actions across the country throughout the week to highlight the systematic abuse of trade union rights by the Mexican government.
Together the trade unions are holding rallies, meeting with Mexican government representatives, and sending letters and thousands of emails all calling on the Mexican government to:
1. Hold employer and government officials accountable for the Pasta de Conchos mine explosion that killed 65 miners on February 19, 2006.
2. Abolish systemic violations of workers' freedom of association, including employer-dominated "protection contracts" and interference in union elections.
3. End the use of force-by the state or private parties-to repress workers' legitimate demands for democratic unions, better wages and working conditions, and good health and safety conditions.
4. End the campaign of political persecution against the Mexican Miners' Union and the Mexican Electrical Workers' Union.
The action to support the democratic and independent unions in Mexico is being taken by trade unions around the world affiliated to the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), UNI Global Union and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).