International unions say Mexico repressing miners (THAT VIOLATES NAFTA BTW)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2345770220080424

Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:32pm EDT

MEXICO CITY, April 23 (Reuters) - International unions, including a leading U.S. labor organization, accused Mexican authorities on Wednesday of using violence to break up union strikes, including one at the country's biggest copper mine.

The International Metalworkers' Federation accused the government of siding with the owners of the Cananea copper mine and the Lazaro Cardenas steel mill in labor disputes, and using police to disperse strikers with rubber bullets and tear gas.

"The government has relied on force and violence to resolve the country's labor disputes, while criminalizing trade union activity," the group said in a letter sent to lawmakers around Latin America, the United States and Canada.

The federation groups more than 200 unions, including the AFL-CIO in the United States.

Workers at the Cananea mine have been on strike for eight months in a dispute that began over safety conditions but has been complicated by bad blood between the Mexican mining union's leader and mine owner Grupo Mexico (GMEXICOB.MX: Quote, Profile, Research).

FULL STORY AT LINK.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. But when Bush entered office he attached a signing statement to NAFTA

. . . to the effect that workers will do as they're told and not expect to get paid for it.

[RaleighNCDUer]

2. NAFTA at work.

We're exporting suppression of unions to Mexico.