24 February, 2011Mexican and foreign political leaders and Ambassadors took notice as unions from every part of the globe turned out at Mexican Embassies, national parliaments and congressional halls to voice their concern about the Mexican government's increasingly violent attitude towards independent trade unions.
GLOBAL/MEXICO: Union members, students and human rights activists from some 40 countries participated in the Global Days of Action, launched on February 14 in Mexico City and Australia simultaneously. For six days, unions from around the globe came together holding actions, writing letters and taking meetings with political figures to highlight massive labour rights violations in Mexico. From Mumbai to Milan, Hong Kong to Helsinki, the message to the Mexican government was the same:
- Hold employer and government officials accountable for the Pasta de Conchos mine explosion that killed 65 miners on February 19, 2006.
- Abolish systemic violations of workers' freedom of association, including employer-dominated "protection contracts" and interference in union elections.
- 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.
- End the campaign of political persecution against the Mexican Miners' Union and the Mexican Electrical Workers' Union.
The largest actions took place in Mexico City, with more than 50,000 union members participating in marches, rallies, embassy visits and demonstrations throughout the entire week. Outside of Mexico, the week's heavyweights were Australia (500 people at the Global Days of Action launch) and South Africa (300 people outside the Mexican Embassy in Johannesburg). Other sizeable demonstrations took place in New Delhi, Canberra, San Francisco, Vancouver, Milan, Jakarta, Chicago, and Washington DC.
The fallen were remembered and honoured in Mexico, Belgium, USA and South Africa. In Tucson, Arizona, individuals in front of the Mexican Consulate wore placards with the names of the 65 miners killed in the Pasta de Conchos mine. In Johannesburg, NUMSA members carried 65 coffins with a miners' name on each to the Mexican Embassy.
At most meetings union delegations met with Ambassadors or political staff and were able to have lengthy discussions on the issues, however in some cases, activists were forced to hold meetings on the sidewalk, (Seoul and New York City) or deliver their message by police escort (Johannesburg). In total, more than 50 meetings with Embassy representitives or policymakers took place last week, shining a light on Mexico's refusal to honour its international commitments to respect Freedom of Association. These meetings are key as the Committee on Freedom of Association will meet next week at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to discuss two significant complaints filed against Mexico, one regarding union autonomy and the other regarding "protection contracts".
An electronic campaign was launched at the same time on Labourstart. So far, more than 3450 electronic letters have been sent to the Mexican government, most coming from Canada, USA, UK, Mexico and Australia. The electronic campaign will continue for the next two months. You can join the effort here. On Facebook, almost 3,000 people have joined the cause in support of the Global Days of Action. See: http://www.causes.com/causes/576498.
The Global Days of Action was organised by four Global Union Federations, the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM), and UNI Global Union, and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
For more information see: http://www.imfmetal.org/mexico2011