Mexican Labor News
& Analysis

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Vol. 13 No. 6

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BENEDICTO MARTÍNEZ OROZCO OF THE FRENTE AUTÉNTICO DEL TRABAJO (FAT) TO SPEAK IN PITTSBURGH AND DETROIT



Benedicto Martínez Orozco, one of the most important leaders of Mexico's independent trade union movement will be in Pittsburgh from April 6 - 8, and in Detroit from April 10 - 13th. In Pittsburgh he will be speaking at church, union and university venues on topics ranging from the impact of NAFTA and globalization on Mexican workers to the relationship of solidarity with the Pittsburgh-based United Electrical Workers (UE), which led Mexican unions to support the struggle of public sector workers in North Carolina for collective bargaining rights. Martínez is co-president of the Frente Auténtico del Trabajo (FAT) and vice president of the independent labor federation, the Union Nacional de Trabajadores (UNT). For details, see Events and Delegations, below.

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Vol. 12 No. 12

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Special Alert!!!!

Vol. 12 No. 10

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International Solidarity Sought for Vaqueros Navarra Jeans Workers

International Solidarity with workers at Vaqueros Navarra has been increasing, as has pressure from the brands on the company. Over the past month, various organizations have generated emails through alerts, the UE collected signatures on petitions at its national convention, Verite issued a critical report, and three of the brands sent letters to Vaqueros Navarra. It appears that this pressure, combined with demonstrations by the workers has finally caused the company to stop discharging workers and pressuring them to resign, but harassment continues. A critical labor board hearing will take place tomorrow at which we hope that an election date will finally be set. (See the update from Lynda Yanz of the Maquila Solidarity Network below; background on the situation can be found in earlier issues of MLNA).

If you haven't sent a letter to the Governor of the State of Puebla with copies to other state labour authorities and Grupo Navarra, please take a moment to do so. If you are an organization that can send a letter on your letterhead, please see the draft letter below. Otherwise, simply go to one or all of the following sites:

http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=294
http://action.unitehere.org/campaign/vaquerosnavarra

Vol. 12 No. 9

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Vol. 12 No. 7

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CHANGING BALANCE OF FORCES ON THE FAR LEFT

By Dan La Botz

Mexico's far left, the constellation of popular movements, political parties, and guerrilla groups prepared to engage in direct action against the Mexican state has become more visible over the past year, with public attention focusing on both the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) and the Peoples Revolutionary Army (EPR) in recent weeks.

The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO) appeared in 2006 united many working class communities in the City of Oaxaca and surrounding areas: urban workers and vendors, peasants, and indigenous groups, as well as the teachers of Local 22. APPO appeared as a democratic assembly of working class, predominantly indigenous people fighting against the dictatorship of Ulises Ruiz, taking over public media and effectively controlling the city for many months. APPO became known throughout the world when the Mexican Federal Preventive Police were sent to Oaxaca, intensifying the repression. Human rights organizations have documented the brutal arrests of many hundreds and the murder of some 20 people associated with the movement during last year's protests, most of them killed by police. Recent protests have resulted in another wave of repression. Whether the movement will fracture, move towards greater involvement in electoral politics, or see the emergence of a more violent left wing, remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Revolutionary Army (ERP), a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group like those that fought throughout Latin America during the 1960s and 1970s, has made its appearance on the scene, fighting against what it calls a resurgence of the “dirty wars” of the Mexican Army, which during the 1970s “disappeared” and murdered 500 or more leftists. The ERP has issued a call to all “honest” opponents of Felipe Calderón and his government to join in a common front.

What makes these developments interesting and important is that they take place in a period that has seen an enormous popular movement. Most important, of course, the demonstration led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), several of them over one million people strong, to protest fraud in the presidential elections of 2006. If Calderón and the United States permit the persistent economic crisis to worsen and if we see the political situation unravel, we can expect a deepening polarization.

Vol. 12 No. 6

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Dear Readers,

April has been a cruel month: two young men, both labor organizers, died this month in Mexico. The circumstances were very different: Santiago Rafael Cruz was murdered in FLOC's union office in Monterey and Alejandro Pérez died prematurely, but of natural causes, in his home in Cd. Juárez. Articles in this month's issue of MLNA describe the two deaths as well as FLOC's urgent action campaign. Information from FLOC and CJM about how to send donations to cover funeral expenses for each of these men is also included.

Both of these committed organizers will be sorely missed. But others will take up where they left off and their work will continue. They shall be remembered and many will ensure that they have not died in vain.

In solidarity,

Robin Alexander and Dan LaBotz

Vol. 12 No. 3

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Dear Readers,

Every year Mexican Labor News and Analysis dedicates its March issue to women in recognition of International Women's Day celebrated around the world on March 8. Women make up half of Mexico's working people, but many would argue they do more than half the work. As in so many societies, including our own, women often endure more than their share of the common suffering of society. And women also often play a leading role in the social movements as they have in Mexico in the last several months whether joining the rallies and the plantones in Mexico City to support a fair election, marching with the popular movement in Oaxaca, or organizing in the Zapatista autonomous communities. This month we remember and recognize all of those women who work, endure, and struggle to bring demoracy and social justice to Mexico. So please view our entire issue to read the many stories which focus on women.

- Dan La Botz and Robin Alexander.

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Vol. 11 No. 12

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Dear Reader,
We have dedicated this issue to the Mexican election. We come to you a little late because we wanted to know the size, message, and impact of the Sunday, July 31 rally of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
We believe that Mexico could be at a genuine turning point in its history and hope that you will find this issue helpful in understanding the events taking place.
Dan La Botz and Robin Alexander

Vol. 11 No. 6

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MEXICAN ELECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE AMIDST SOCIAL UPHEAVAL

Mexico's national elections on July 2 will take place, it appears, amidst a growing social upheaval and possibly in the face of continuing government repression and violence.

· Over the last two months, Federal and state authorities from all three political parties have unleashed police violence against striking steelworkers, flower vendors and community activists, and most recently against striking school teachers and their families.
· Meanwhile the conflict between the Mexican Mine and Metal Workers Union and the government has continued, with strikes, slowdowns and struggles between rival factions at various mines.
· Subcomandante Marcos has been leading “the Other Campaign,” an anti-capitalist alliance calling for radical social change, on a trek throughout Mexico.
· Now the National Front for Union and Union Autonomy has called for a general strike to begin on June 28 and continue through the election on July 2.
· With the Mexican government unleashing repression at levels unknown since the 1970s and various social forces—the Miners Union, The National Front for Unity and Union Autonomy (FNUAS), the Other Campaign, the Oaxaca teachers—willing to engage in militant struggle over social justice and political power election day could represent not only a choice in the ballot box, but also a commitment in the street. Whether this possibility of a convergence of social movement and politics will drive Mexicans into the arms of the party of law and order or to trust in a candidate who talks about putting “the poor first” will be revealed in just two weeks.
Although we have placed the articles regarding national news first as we customary do, we want to draw your attention to the attack on the teachers in Oaxaca and their response, and stress the seriousness and importance of the events unfolding there.

Vol. 11 No. 5

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