26 September, 2012On 18 September unions took action in Mexico, Peru and the USA demanding that Grupo Mexico respect workers and unions at all of it’s operations.
These actions were part of an ongoing campaign to build strong cross border relationships between unions representing Grupo Mexico workers throughout all operations.
“United we bargain, divided we beg” is the slogan used by the unions. Unions at Southern Peru Copper Company (ST-ILO, STTA-Toquepala and SUT-Cuajone), Los Mineros (SNTMMSRM) in Mexico and the United Steelworkers (USW) at Asarco have united forces to declare international solidarity of workers and unions at Grupo Mexico.
The union alliance demands that the company respect workers and unions throughout all of its operations and also engage in bargaining with Los Mineros, and come to a fair resolution to the strikes at Cananea, Taxco and Sombrete that began in 2007.
The unions at Southern Peru Copper Company began their negotiations for a new labor agreement in August 2012, but an agreement has not yet been reached. It is urgent that an agreement be reached especially to improve health and safety given the tragic death of a union member at Southern Peru’s Toquepala mine during August 2012, along with two other deaths at Grupo Mexico operations in Peru over the last two years.
On 18 September as part of the tri-national action day, Los Mineros in Mexico held a rally in front of company’s headquarters, in Peru the unions held membership rallies and distributed flyers and hardhat stickers to workers at Southern Peru Copper Company (SPCC), and in the USA the USW locals distributed flyers and hardhat stickers to their members.