10 February, 2011The International Metalworkers' Federation joined with other labour and rights groups in taking further steps to protect the rights and safety of workers, Mexican Miners' Union members and labour rights activists at Johnson Controls in Puebla, Mexico.
MEXICO. In a further step of international solidarity with Johnson Controls workers in Mexico, the International Metalworkers' Federation joined with the Mexican social rights group ProDESC and the AFL-CIO in writing to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, requesting it urgently demand and ensure that that the Mexican authorities conduct an unbiased and thorough investigation into recent attacks on the Centre for Workers Support (CAT).
In the letter to the Commission, published here, the IMF also called for a system of protective and precautionary security for all employees of CAT. The Executive Director and several members of the Center for Worker Support (CAT), an organization that has been assisting in the organizing of workers at Johnson Controls in Puebla, Mexico, received threats on their life and security on January 14, 2011, following a series of earlier threats.
In response, IMF and its affiliates the Mexican Miners' Union (SNTMMSRM), Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), United Steelworkers (USW), United Auto Workers (UAW) sent a letter to the U.S. Vice President of Johnson Controls Inc on January 28, 2011 demanding the company also take action and put pressure on local government officials in Puebla to investigate the attacks and provide protection for those receiving death threats.
A global network of unions with membership in Johnson Controls is regularly meeting and looking at way to extend solidarity to the workers in Mexico. These unions are also actively supporting the global days of action demanding trade union rights in Mexico from February 14 to 19 and have produced a flyer for this occasion.