This article was sent to Power In A Union by Ben Davis of the United Steelworkers. This is a small example of what is happening in Mexico where union busting is now rampant. The Mexican government and employers stand accused of union busting using intimidation and violence to keep out and dismantle independent unions. One way they do this is to form puppet non independent unions. Mexican workers are rebelling against puppet unions.
Jose Luis Solorio, General Secretary of the STUHM (the Union of United Workers of Honda Mexico), was arrested for passing out informational leaflets on Thursday, March 1st.
Solorio was taken to the Jalisco State Police headquarters, after being arrested outside of the plant, which is located in the industrial corridor of El Salto.
Alejandro de Leon, a member of the STUHM, stated that nine (leafleting) former employees (of Honda) were attacked by private security personnel. He added that the nine were harassed and (several were) forced into an automobile.
One of the Honda’s private police officers accused Solorio of stealing a “video pen” that he had on his person, and that was the reason the authorities were called. “Our comrade was sitting in his car, but they tricked him into coming out” explained De León Juárez.
“What happened is unconstitutional, because our co-worker was taken to the State Police Station in a private security van; the municipal commander shouldn’t have allowed this. If he (Solorio) was accused of theft, the police should have taken action.”
A total of 15 people assembled in front of the State Police Station, and were denied any information about José Luis Solorio, despite the fact that those assembled saw him enter the police station.
Alejandro de León explained: “We followed them from the time he (Solorio) was detained until they entered the station, and we have the videos that prove it.”
The activists said that they would spend the night outside of the station until they obtained information about their leader, and if necessary, they would block traffic where avenue 16 de Septiembre intersects with Libertad Street.
The ex employees of Honda are all members of the STUHM. They were fired by the company after creating a new, alternative union, and all have pending legal cases for unjust termination. On numerous occasions, they have denounced the company’s harassment against them during the last 18 months since they have been fired.
By Alejandro Velazco La Jornada Jalisco, Print edition, March 2nd, 2012,
