by Duane E. Campbell
A delegation of Mexican labor organizers speak at CSU-Sacramento
on April 3, as a part of a Labor Solidarity Tour. Humberto Montes de Oca, of the SME
Electrical Workers union spoke on their struggle over the last two years since
44,000 workers were dismissed and the electrical company privatized under the
order of Mexican President Felipe Calderon. Some 16,000 workers remain on strike. They occupied the Zocalo in
Mexico City for over 6 months.
Currently they are working to defeat the two conservative candidates for
president, representing PAN and PRI. They are working for Manuel Obrador of the
PRD who has supported their struggle. For more on this struggle see David Bacon http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/free-trade-agreements-killing-jobs-and-labor-rights/ .http://talkingunion.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/free-trade-agreements-killing-jobs-and-labor-rights/
.
Fernando Mendoza of
the Teachers Union and Ignatius Mercedes of the Mine workers in Canea,
Sonora, explained the role of
neo-liberalism in privatizing public industries including public schools. They urged the students at the
university to unite with the faculty in their own struggle to renew their
contract which has expired. The
tour has traveled from Los Angeles, to San Diego and San Jose and plans on
appeals to workers for international solidarity.
Pictured, Fernando Mendoza, Ignatius Mercedes, and Jose
Humberto Montes de Oca and Gabriel Torres of the C.F.T. serving as a
translator.
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