United Steelworkers Organizing Protests Across the Country As Part of International Alliance with Mexican Mine and Metalworkers 

AFL-CIO Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson and United Steelworkers Secretary-Treasurer Jim English joined hundreds of Philadelphia union members, students and community activists on Friday to demand the reinstatement of Napoleon Gomez, the democratically elected leader of the National Union of Mine and Metal Workers of Mexico. Gomez was forcibly removed from office by the administration of Mexican President Vicente Fox after he demanded an investigation and better mine safety inspections following a gas explosion that killed 65 miners at the Pasta de Conchos mine on February 19.

After addressing a crowd of approximately two hundred people, English and Chavez-Thompson entered the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia and delivered a letter to President Vicente Fox from United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard.

“The USW views your actions as a blatant attempt to stifle the voice of workers and progressive unions in Mexico,” Gerard stated in the letter. “The USW demands that Napoleon Gomez be reinstated as the rightful General Secretary of Los Mineros and that the pretender to his rightful office be removed.”

Speakers also asserted that the abuse of workers’ rights in Mexico mirrored the plight of Department of Homeland Security workers in the United States, who have been fighting the Bush Administration’s attempts to strip them of their right to collective bargaining.

“We cannot allow the Mexican government to remove a democratically elected leader from office,” said Linda Chavez-Thompson, Vice President of the AFL-CIO. “Napoleon Gomez is our brother and we will give all the support and help we can until justice in Mexico is finally done.”

About 15 different unions were represented at the rally. Protests in support of Gomez are scheduled to continue throughout the country, including Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Utah.

Contact:  Gabrielle Coppola, AFL-CIO 202-637-5018
              Jerry Fernandez, USW 412-562-2611