25 April, 201620 April will be the tenth anniversary of the tragedy at the Lázaro Cárdenas steel plant, Mexico. Two workers were killed in a federal and state security forces operation to evict them from the plant.
The National Miners’ and Metalworkers’ Union (SNTMMSRM, better known as Los Mineros, and affiliated to IndustriALL Global Union) organized a march and a mass to remember Alberto Rodríguez Castillo and Héctor Álvarez Gómez.
Both were victims of the clash that occurred on 20 April 2006 when the police forcibly evicted workers from the premises of SICARTSA, now Arcelor Mittal.
Workers in section 271 had been on strike for several months when they were caught off-guard by the police.
“It was like a scene from a war, with smoke, screams and people running. The police forced out workers who were guarding access to the plant and chased them through the streets...”
remembers Raúl Alejandro Delgado Rojas, a company employee and member of the union.
Ten years later, the union commemorated the tragedy at an event supported by the Unite union and the United Steel Workers, both affiliated to IndustriALL. The union said that the authorities had violated trade union autonomy and called on the government to stop the repression and persecution, ensure that justice is done and recognize the right to strike.
“Remembering those who died at Lazaro Cardenas makes us stronger in the struggle”,
said IndustriALL’s Assistant General Secretary, Fernando Lopes.