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GUEST: David Bacon, labor journalist, KPFA programmer, author of “The Children of NAFTA”

In the days following Mexico’s July 2nd presidential election, hundreds of striking Mexican miners were fired in the state of Sonora. Workers at the Nacozari Mine, one of the world’s largest copper mines, had been on strike since March 24th of this year. The strike came to an abrupt end when the Mexican Federal Labor Board granted the owner of the Nacozari Mine, Grupo Mexico, permission to close down operations by declaring the strike “an abandonment”. However, just days after the declaration, managers of the mines sought applications from some workers for the eventual re-opening of the mine. The episode was one of many in Mexico’s long running labor wars. If PAN presidential candidate, Felipe Calderon, is declared the winner of the recent elections, labor union activists expect more of the same. Calderon’s presidential campaign benefited from generous campaign donations that funded television ads including images warning of labor chaos and violence.

David Bacon’s recent articles on the Mexican miners are available here:

San Francisco Chronicle: Mexican workers want a recount.

New American Media: Hundreds of Mexican Miners Fired for Striking.

Visit David Bacon’s website at dbacon.igc.org.