Political Issues and Campaigns

Supporting Mexican Workers – Los Mineros

Workers and trade unions in Mexico are under attack by the government, the military and federal and state police.

Over the past five years, workers have faced escalating violence, persecution, mass dismissals, and ongoing violations of basic rights to form unions, bargain collectively, strike and defend their rights without repression.

Among the most egregious attacks against Mexican trade unions are those committed against Los Mineros, the National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM) by the government, police and Mexican-owned mining giant Grupo Mexico.

The United Steelworkers supports Los Mineros. We stand in solidarity with workers and trade unionists in Mexico and their fight for labour and human rights.

The USW has assisted Los Mineros secretary-general Napoleon Gomez, who is currently living in exile in Canada. For more than four years the Mexican government has conducted a campaign of repression against Gomez and Los Mineros, fabricating false charges and seizing the union's bank accounts. Charges against Gomez and Los Mineros were dismissed by the Mexican superior court in 2010.

Los Mineros and the USW signed a joint declaration in 2010 to develop a stronger and more comprehensive alliance between the two unions, which represent one million workers in North America.  

Take Action

Lobby Your MP - send a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird

Related Articles and Media Releases

• 19 February 2013 La Jornada In Chile They Were Rescued; in Mexico They Were Abandoned
• 19 February 2013 Photo Gallery Steelworkers Humanity Fund in Mexico
• 11 February 2013 LabourStart/IndustriALL Tell PKC to Reinstate Workers in Mexico
• 7 February 2013 Campaign Mexico Days of Action 18-24 February 2013
• 31 August 2012 PRODESC Press Release New Evidence Suggests That Excellon Influenced Canadian Government To Browbeat Mexico To Take Action Against Peaceful Protest At La Palosa Mine
• 6 July 2012 Media Release Union Election at Excellon Mine in Mexico Plagued by Intimidation and Irregularities
• 5 July 2012 Media Release Goons, Armed Police Confront Workers Holding Union Vote at Excellon Resources Mine
• 5 July 2012 Media Release Excellon Resources Under Scrutiny As Mexican Mine Workers Hold Union Vote 
• 12 June 2012 Video Los Mineros - The Struggle and Heroism of the Mexican Miners' Union
• 6 June 2012 Media Release Excellon Resources CEO Resigns Following Mexican Community and Labour Representatives' Visits to Ottawa and Toronto
• 31 May 2012 Media Release Mexican Landowners Demand Action from Excellon Resources at Shareholders’ Meeting in Toronto
• 3 May 2012 USW Speeches Remarks by Ken Neumann to Los Mineros Convention, Mexico City
• 3 May 2012 Media Release Steelworkers Hail Mexican Court Decision in Favour of Los Mineros Union Leader Gomez
• 14 March 2012 Media Release Meeting with Mexican Ambassador, Canadian Labour Leaders Call for Freedom of Association in Mexico
• 15 February 2012 Media Release Excellon Resources Management Continues to Ignore Problems in Mexico as Workers, Landowners and Shareholders Suffer
• 16 November 2011 Media Release Napoleón Gómez to Receive Human Rights Award
• 31 October 2011 CBC Excellon CSR Complaint: Mining watchdog agency called 'bogus PR job'
• 31 October 2011 Media Release Steelworkers to Excellon Resources: What Are You Hiding?
• 6 October 2011 Media Release Steelworkers Alert Excellon Resources Shareholders to Company Practices
• 11 July 2011 Media Release Persecuted Mexican Labour Leaders Retain Members’ Support, Employers’ Respect
• 25 February 2011 Media Release Steelworkers Hail Liberation of Mexican Union Leader After Two Years as Political Prisoner
• 18 February 2011 Media Release International Pressure On Mexico to Respect Labour, Human Rights
• 16 February 2011 Photo Gallery Global Days of Action for Trade Union Rights in Mexico
• 14 February 2011 ICEM Mexico Days of Action Begin
• 18 August 2010 Media Release Los Mineros Wins Appeal at Grupo Mexico Mine
• 28 July 2010 Media Release Steelworkers Commend Mexican Court's Vindication of Mexican Union Leader Napoleon Gomez Urrutia
• 10 June 2010 Media Release Violent Attack on Striking Mexican Miners Undermines Efforts to Bring End to Conflict
• 9 June 2010 The Tyee Steelworkers Urge Mexican Government to Respect Labour and Human Rights
• 2 March 2010 Media Release Steelworkers Ask PM to Help Prevent Bloodshed Against Mexican Miners
• 27 March 2009 Media Release Exiled Mexican Union Leader Wins Injunction Against Arrest Warrants
• 3 September 2008 Media Release USW to 'Adopt' 3,000 Striking Workers' Families in Mexico