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 Business News | May 2008 
Mexican Miners Set 24-Hour Strike for Monday
 Adriana Barrera - Reuters
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Mexico City - Mexico's mining union said its members would go on a 24-hour nationwide strike on Monday after the labor ministry failed to confirm the reelection of the union's estranged leader Napoleon Gomez.
Some 70,000 miners could join the stoppage, which could affect copper and silver mines, starting from 7 a.m. local time (1200 GMT), union official Carlos Pavon said.
"The strike is a fact," Pavon told Reuters. "Everything stops. There will be no production."
Pavon said the labor ministry had confirmed that it would not accept the reelection of Gomez, who is in Canada to avoid arrest on corruption charges, as union leader.
Miners voted this month to keep Gomez as union head.
The strike is not expected to have a major impact on Mexico's mining sector given Grupo Mexico's (GMEXICOB.MX: Quote, Profile, Research) giant Cananea copper mine is already closed due to a months-old labor dispute and production there has stopped indefinitely.
Gomez is at the forefront of a strike at Cananea, Mexico's largest copper mine, going on since July when workers laid down their tools over health and safety conditions.
The strike has been complicated by a power struggle between Gomez and Grupo Mexico, which offered hefty liquidation packages to get rid of workers belonging to Gomez's union. The union has so far refused the money and vowed to keep striking.
Gomez fled Mexico following accusations he stole some $50 million from a worker fund, allegations he denied. |
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