Before the current struggle the Mexican miners were one of the most militant layers of the Mexican working class. Since Fox came to power there have been 184 stoppages and strikes in the mines. This is precisely why Vicente Fox has so brutally attacked the miners.
The miners have answered with more militant action culminating in a one-day strike of all miners on March 1. There have been other strikes in the mines of Cananea and La Claridad, which generate half the copper in Mexico. There is also a strike over terms and conditions at Sicartsa, a large steel company which represents 1/3 of the total national steel market.
The Mexican Marxist Tendency (www.militante.org) has launched an international solidarity campaign to support the families of the miners killed on the picket lines as well as those still on strike. It is essential that all trade union activists send solidarity messages to:
solidaridadobrerainternacional@gmail.com
We will be providing more information about the current situation and to see the full statement and solidarity messages, please check back next week.
See also:
- Mexican police attack striking steel workers, killing three by Jorge Martin (25 Apr. 2006)