Alcoa Mexican Workers Win Some, Lose Some

The Comité Fronterizo de Obrer (CFO), a Mexican-based organization that supports organizing in the country's maquiladora sector, issued a report at the end of May, 2003 on the efforts by workers at Alcoa's twin factories in Piedra Niegras to organize a democratic trade union and improve working conditions. As previously reported, democratic union supporters were beaten in February 2002 by company-supported union supporters shortly after their effort went public. Local Mexican government authorities also intervened against the independent union. USLEAP responded along with others to the call for international support.

The CFO reports that the workers have forced substantial improvements in working conditions and pay increase and the removal of the top two managers. But the fired union workers have not been reinstated and the independent union movement has not been able to defeat what it calls the three-headed monster of the company, the company-supported union (CTM,), and the government. There is no request for action at this time.

Alcoa Background