News From USW: USW Outraged Over Violence at Mexican Steel Plant

Business Wire, April 21, 2006

PITTSBURGH -- United Steelworkers President Leo W. Gerard today denounced as deplorable the deadly violence that occurred in Mexico Thursday when hundreds of police stormed a major steel plant to force out strikers who were protesting the government's illegal ouster of a union leader.

Four workers died in a pitched battle at the Sicartsa steelmaking complex in the western state of Michoacan after police firing tear gas canisters confronted strikers. Dozens more were injured.

The clash was the worst since thousands of mining and metals workers across Mexico went on strike in defense of Napoleon Gomez, who was removed from his position as leader of the National Union of Mine and Metallurgical Workers by the government of Vicente Fox.

"The Fox Administration's murderous actions have marked it as one of the most heinous in all Latin America," Gerard said.

The USW is a partner in a strategic alliance with the Mexican union, which denounced Fox as having "blood on his hands." The Mexican union defended the strike as legitimate and called for an investigation.

Workers at the steel plant operated by Villacero SA., Mexico's biggest producer of steel bars and wire rod, went on strike April 2 to protest Gomez' removal as leader of the union, known widely as "Los Mineros" by its 250,000 members.

Gomez's troubles began following a horrific mining disaster in which 65 miners were killed at Pasta de Concha, owned by Grupo Mexico. He was removed from office after he criticized the company and the government and called for an investigation.

The Mexican federal government, and in particular, Labor Secretary Francisco Salazar, bear primary responsibility for this disastrous assault on workers. The government provoked the strike by removing Gomez in flagrant violation of both Mexican law and international labor conventions.

"This is a terrible situation when a supposedly civilized government attacks its own citizens for exercising labor union rights," said Terry Bonds, director of USW District 12 in California.

The USW has a membership of 850,000 workers in a range of industries across North America. It is the largest industrial union in North America.