Mexico (25.02.2004 - IMF NewsBriefs 04/2004) The International Metalworkers' Federation, together with its Finnish affiliates Metalliliitto and Toimihenkilöunioni, has launched a pilot organising project in Mexico. The project is aimed at organising workers in a limited number of plants and companies, as well as identifying suitable partners for a future comprehensive organising project.
"Fundamental labour and trade union rights are notoriously violated in Mexico. This is not only true in the maquila export processing zones, but also in a majority of other companies. This extremely important - and difficult - project is an attempt to partly remedy this situation," explains the IMF general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi.
The trade union situation in Mexico is complicated and hampered by internal rivalries and by the existence of company-controlled unions negotiating below the statutory wage levels with management. A labour law reform, to be put in place in 2005, at the earliest, further complicates the Mexican picture.
At its best it could guarantee more rights for workers to organise; at its worst it could pave the way to creating splinter unions.The IMF opened an office in Mexico in the year 2000, with the objective of organising the more than one million metalworkers into the IMF. The office has undertaken a programme of meetings and seminars with affiliates and non-affiliates. Three unions have affiliated to the IMF and the seven existing affiliates have formed an IMF country council.
"The IMF has a good reputation in Mexico and is considered a serious organisation with long-term objectives. This project is a logical continuation of our involvement," says Malentacchi.