National Work Stoppage in Mexico

November 10, 2009

A national work stoppage has been called for Nov. 11 in Mexico in support of the Electrical Workers (SME) and against the recent militarization of Luz y Fuerza electrical instalations in Mexico City. Canadian Energy unions, Common Frontiers and RQIC have sent a letter to the President of Mexico. We expect that a portion of this letter will be read out in the Mexico City Zocalo on Nov 11. Below is an excerpt and links to the full letter:

President Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa,

Last Friday, Nov 6, 2009, we met in Montreal , to follow up on the agreements we made with trade unions and social organizations from Mexico and the United States during the Third North American Encounter of Organizations from the Energy Sector held in Mexico City from the 16th to the 18th of March, 2009. We trade unions and social networks involved in energy in Quebec and Canada affirm the following with respect to recent events in Mexico:

1. We condemn the actions of your government on October 10th and 11th when you ordered the takeover by force through the intervention of federal police of the installations of the Central Light and Power Company (Luz y Fuerza del Centro), in order to later issue a decree announcing the liquidation of that company which is protected by the Constitution and without the necessary Congressional authorization.