14 May, 2011Strengthening independent and democratic trade unions in Mexico was the focus of a four day IMF planning workshop held in Mexico City from May 10 to 13, 2011.
MEXICO: The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) convened a Strategic Union Building Planning meeting in Mexico City from May 10 to 13, where it was decided to implement a joint programme to resist unrelenting government and company attacks against the democratic unions in Mexico.
Seven independent and democratic unions in Mexico, including SNTMMSRM (Los Mineros), SME (Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas), STIMACHS-FAT and SNTRM - both UNT affiliates, UNTyPP (Unión Nacional de Técnicos y Profesionistas Petroleros), SGTM (Sindicato General Tire Workers Mexico), and STUHM (Sindicato Unico de Honda Mexico), were joined by several labour-friendly NGOs, representatives from IMF, UNI and ICEM and affiliated unions from Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, the U.S. and Canada at a meeting in Mexico City aimed at increasing the cooperation among the Mexican unions and the international labour movement.
On the first day, the participants discussed and approved a plan to strength the power of the movement against the attacks the democratic unions have been suffering. Several instruments like the Tri-National Solidarity Alliance, the International Tribunal on Freedom of Association, the Campaign against Protections Contracts, as well as the recent ILO rulings on ILO complaints against the Mexican Government were analyzed and all the delegates agreed to improve coordination and action focusing on opposition to the Labour Reform bill and the National Security bill that are in discussion in Congress. If these reforms are approved, precarious work will be legitimized, protection contracts reinforced and the situation of the democratic unions will become even more difficult.
On the second and third days the participants discussed ways to strengthen the capacity of the unions by "a professionalization" of the unions and plans to increase their membership. A innovative educational program for organizers where the main focus will be on creating the conditions to discuss and implement a new structure for the democratic unions' movement (auto- reform) will be jointly designed by the unions and hopefully implemented starting next year. The participating GUF's and international guests committed themselves to seek extra funding for this program. The Mexican unions and labour friendly NGOs agreed to share their educational, financial, logistical and media resources to make this program possible. The unions discussed and presented their plans to organize more workplaces, which will require support from IMF, ICEM and UNI as well as from European, Canadian and U.S. unions. At the end of the meeting several working groups were defined to continue work on the different issues and to report back to the participants.
Fernando Lopes, IMF Assistant General Secretary, stated that the high level of participation in this meeting shows the commitment of the international trade union movement to strengthen and grow the Mexican democratic unions. Lopes also said that the IMF and other GUF's will continue to support the struggles of the Mexican unions for Freedom of Association, in particular Los Mineros and SME.