Country Rating: 4

  • Systematic violation of rights

  • Workers in countries with the rating of 4 have reported systematic violations. The government and/or companies are engaged in serious efforts to crush the collective voice of workers, putting fundamental rights under continuous threat.

Union busting action by Operadora Gasoil: In November 2013, gasoline attendants at two Mexico City gas stations initiated a strike against the owner, Operadora Gasoil S.A. de C.V. The union, the Sindicato de Trabajadores de Casas Comerciales, Oficinas y Expendios, Similares y Conexos del Distrito Federal (STRACC), explained that the strike followed the failure to reach an agreement with the company. The company had refused to recognise the union at a gas station, firing seven workers and engaging in a variety of other practices that violate labour rights and freedom of association, according to the union.

Abuses at PKC Mexico: An independent investigation of the Finnish auto parts company PKC in Mexico released in June 2013 found that PKC imposed a company union without the knowledge of its workers, harassed and threatened workers who attempted to join the independent Mexican Mine and Metalworkers' union, manipulated an election to defeat the Mineworkers, and fired independent union supporters.

Reprisals and Dismissals at Honda Mexico: On 7 May 2013, Honda Mexico breached a workplace agreement and dismissed five workers in a complicit campaign by the company and local protection union, SETEAMI, to intimidate the work-force. All of them were members of the committee that negotiated a settlement after 90 per cent of the workers showed their dissatisfaction with the company's refusal to share its profits in a work-stoppage on 16-18 April.

Peasant leaders assassinated in Guerrero: Two peasant leaders, Juan Lucena Ríos and José Luis Sotelo Martínez, from the community of Paraíso, a town of 6,000, were assassinated on November 16 in downtown Atoyac de Álvarez in the Costa Grande region of Guerrero as they were leading a protest by coffee workers. This came a day after they had announced that they were creating a community policing organisation in the town.

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