22 December, 2010IMF has received reports of renewed attacks against trade unionists and activists these last days in Mexico. José Luis Solorio, General Secretary of the new democratic Honda union in El Salto, Jalisco was fired; Jorge Mora, elected trade union leader in the Platosa Mine in la Sierrita, Durango also fired and his co-workers intimidated; in Puebla, the office of labour activists CAT, Centre for Worker Support was ransacked and robbed. IMF calls on the affiliates to send strong protest letters to support the Mexican workers fighting for freedom of association and justice.
MEXICO: These days many of us are preparing to celebrate the Christmas holidays exchanging gifts with our relatives, colleagues and friends. Mexican workers are no different; but Christmas this year has a bitter taste for many of them.
Please take a few minutes before leaving on holidays, to let these workers know that we support their struggle and denounce the violations of their labour and human rights!
Honda workers from the Mexican plant in El Salto, Jalisco producing CRV trucks mostly for the U.S. market have struggled for years against a hostile company, corrupt union and subservient government. In 2009, they decided to create their own independent union, the United Workers' Union of Honda, the management, supported by the Central de Trabajadores de México, CTM' protection union, immediately replied by repression and harassment. This year, workers began building a real union to defend their rights, and elected an executive committee for their union, but local and federal authorities, under pressure from Honda, have systematically denied, under whatever pretext, the recognition of the democratic union. This month the union took their battle public denouncing the violations of their rights. In reprisal, on December 20th, management fired a number of union activists, including José Luis Solorio, the General Secretary of the new independent union. Honda workers are facing repression and urgently need our international solidarity support.
For more details on this struggle and the addresses to send your letters of protest and please follow this link: http://www.labornotes.org/2010/12/honda-workers-mexico-face-repression-firings
Notified about creation of a new union, the management at the "La Platosa"mine, located in La Sierrita, Durango, property of the Canadian company Excellon Resources Inc., is waging a harsh antiunion campaign on the new members. Last November, 100 workers, from a staff of 123, chose to form Union Section 309, joining the Mexican Mineros union, SNTMMSRM, affiliated to IMF. On December 13th, Jorge Mora, the legitimately elected local trade union leader was fired under fallacious motives, co-workers are being pressured and bribed to sign letters stating their disinterest in the new union. Several workers who refused the pressure and bribes offered by management, have already been threatened and penalised. We fear that management repression and intimidation of workers will increase.
Please get the relevant addresses for urgent protest letters at: http://www.prodesc.org.mx/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/URGENT_ACTION_Excellon.pdf
The last case reported regards the ransacking of the office of the Centre for Worker Support (CAT) Labour Rights NGO that has supported workers and Mineros 'organising campaigns in Puebla. During the night of December 20th the office was robbed and vandalised, the intruders painted threats on the office walls, stole office archives containing history of the organisations' human and labour rights campaigns and demands, as well as electronic and computer equipment. The municipal police called by the CAT members ignored their appeal.
It is not the first time that CAT activists and their advisors are subjected to assaults and intimidation. See: http://www.imfmetal.org/index.cfm?c=23788&l=2 . In several cases, where members were threatened and beaten up there is patent evidence that the CROM and COS protection unions operating in the Johnson Controls plants in Puebla, have organised these attacks with overt complicity of the company.
For more detailed information and addresses please follow the link to the PRODESC website http://www.prodesc.org.mx/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/URGENT_ACTION-CAT-21-DIC.pdf
The continued violations of the right to freedom of association by the Mexican government and employers must stop.
In February 2011, four Global Union Federations IMF, ICEM, ITF and UNI are calling on all affiliates to take action between February 14 and February 19th, as close as possible to the fifth anniversary of the Pasta de Conchos tragedy on February 19, 2006 which cost the lives of 65 miners. In the forthcoming weeks, additional background information, leaflets, protest materials and press kits will be made available on the IMF website http://www.imfmetal.org/mexico2011.