The Center for Labor Research and Union Counsultation (CILAS) called on civic organizations, trade unions and workers in general to maintain unity in the face of the "outrageous decision" of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) in the case of the Mexican Union of Electricians (SME) and added that it will support the actions of the electricians, even before international bodies.
Meanwhile, the SME called for the reconvening of its extraordinary general assembly for tomorrow afternoon, February 4. Fernando Amezcua, interior secretary of the union, expressed hope that the dialogue with the federal government will be resumed, because "things are not over". He said that in the assembly they will outline the next steps after the second chamber of the Supreme Court this week denied the SME an order of protection [which a Labor Court had granted in October], so that more than 16,000 electricians could not be fired, but had to be hired by the Federal Electricity Commission as their replacement employer.
MV Note: "In the early morning hours of Oct. 11, 2009, President Felipe Calderon stealthily abolished “Luz y Fuerza de Mexico,” [Mexico Light and Power] the state operated electrical utility that provided power to the Mexico City metropolitan area, which includes about 20% of the nation’s population. The military moved in and occupied electrical installations and expelled on-duty workers while most of the country was unaware. The utility was merged with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), which provides power in the rest of the country.
"The government claimed that union corruption and highly paid, inefficient unionized workers were responsible for low productivity rates of operations and high consumer prices, and launched a publicity campaign to discredit the workers, who were in the vanguard of Mexico’s labor movement." For more background, see: The Soon-to-be Life and Death Story of the Mexican Electricians' Union’s Fight for SurvivalCILAS asserted that the Supreme Court
"is a shame for all of us Mexicans and has made the Mexican justice system the laughing stock of the world"It also said that given
"the legal aberration which the Court committed, the SME and civil society will assert their right to demonstrate and seek justice with mobiliazations in the streets and from international bodies; and that "the electrical workers have the support of unions, organizations and millions of citizens of Mexico and from a host of countries."It insisted that the ruling by the Supreme Court regarding the SME
"is a shameful stain on the history of the country, and besides causing outrage, puts the court in a high level of ridicule in the world for its genuflection to the executive power and its contradictory and unjust judgments, comparable only to those that distinguish courts of dictatorial regimes."It further said
"the ruling is a grotesque example of arbitrariness and authoritarianism that, by denying the protection of the human, labor and social rights of thousands of electrical workers, violates constitutional provisions, secondary legislation and international standards.Spanish original