Mexico: Defend trade union rights

Five years ago an explosion at Grupo México’s Pasta de Conchos coal mine killed 65 miners. The bodies of 63 of the 65 miners remain buried (view Pasta de Conches memorial here) and the Mexican government has failed to investigate or prosecute those responsible. Instead the Mexican government has escalated its illegal and violent attacks on the Mexican Miners’ Union (SNTMMSRM), after it demanded justice and the recovery of the miners’ bodies.

Independent unions including the Mexican Electrical Workers’ Union (SME), the UNTyPP union representing workers in Mexico’s state-owned petroleum company PEMEX, the National Union of General Tyre Workers of Mexico (SNTGTM) and the Union of the Autonomous University of Mexico’s Workers (SUTUACM), as well as the Mexican Telephone Workers’ Union (STRM), the Authentic Workers’ Front (FAT) and up to thirty other unions affiliated to the National Union of Workers (UNT) have also all faced violent attacks, intimidation and repression of trade union rights.

The independent trade union movement in Mexico, supported by the IMF, ICEM, ITF, UNI Global Union, and ITUC are asking for your support to put pressure on the Mexican Government as, together with trade unions around the world, they take global action from February 14 to 19 defending trade union rights in Mexico.