[CTC] NY & DC: Vigils demanding justice for Mexican trade unionists

Mon Nov 18 05:57:02 PST 2019

Reminder that you and your organization are invited to participate in vigils for murdered and disappeared Mexican trade unionists this Tuesday in New York and this Wednesday in DC.  Please note that the DC event is at 10:30am on Wednesday (previous emails had a 10am start time).  Kudos, again, to everyone who participated in vigils in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. —Arthur

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ryan Harvey <rharvey at replacenafta.org>
Subject: WEDNESDAY: Demand Justice for Mexican Unionists Murdered During NAFTA Renegotiations!
Reply-To: rharvey at replacenafta.org

Supporter,

Assassinations, disappearances, beatings. Workers in Mexico literally risk their lives trying to fight for livable wages. 

Just since North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiations started, three labor activists at the Media Luna gold mine southwest of Mexico City have been murdered by anti-union vigilantes. A fourth, Oscar Hernández Romero, just disappeared.

That's why we are holding a vigil in DC on Wednesday demanding justice for the Media Luna Four and calling for a NAFTA replacement that truly protects the rights of North American workers. Click here for details. <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/AAE/ni0YAA/t.2wp/e-5yyykqR3urz2SVTj-GAg/h0/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZieSiR1xt6h2zAPrrZKB7vwlijo5P7-2FKeBurkWLZaYQvae-2F-2BQuDFQNd3VV-2Fcciqj6hZqOfAXEZaYl-2FmHKwZ2vM9gvFj6YoOV5DqWH1IfqY8csrJnIhpaaX9qoH-2BFlAmt6uVYCyQv95-2F2xe-2FOP0sC2Of0t5ZqG6koCZioPkKkCgnIRAXuctwZCKLNlwlm9cxrzGUPdtJEjIg9fi-2FiD-2FK6aN8XD5KZYuyeG4VaVZPIb24iSvtqx-2FxRKUUaDx-2ByLkTjb08ldsdFEtByqk6D9K6vd9J4C3lgbuvCjsX4dNUiC5RkIgc0cZSQJlxUY2ZfMKioBIHR-2F9ZqxFhtollVieYSrqQ-2FZkVuDGxK-2Bz-2FAwMAdsSyh0WRlooS-2BRLH-2FRV-2B2R3gYT6DGEEchPjtj2Lp-2Bu209826R8ubHMHsgYFpXWOSZaBkxjmah0pRihpmOlf49-2FzUYlqtuBH6pJ8RXkx1RWR0UeZExmKyu4ky3-2Fxmnt1KuK0K5x/O2rC>
After decades of worker intimidation throughout Mexico and impunity for the perpetrators, Mexican manufacturing wages are now 40% lower than in China. U.S. firms have outsourced almost one million U.S. jobs to exploit these $1-2/hour artificially low wages thanks to NAFTA’s lack of enforceable labor rights.

But since Donald Trump announced his NAFTA 2.0 deal last year, he has stonewalled congressional Democrats’ calls to strengthen the agreement’s labor rights and add real enforcement mechanisms to protect workers. 

The new Mexican government has pledged to improve wages and labor protections. But powerful forces arrayed against change have launched lawsuits to derail an improved Mexican labor law. Plus, the Mexican government has not provided necessary funding for new worker protections.

Neither local nor state officials have been willing to investigate Oscar’s disappearance. His colleagues’ murders remain “unsolved.” Even the most basic worker rights are being systematically violated: 50 workers at Goodyear’s Mexico plant have not been reinstated a year after being fired for trying to organize a union. Last month workers at a GM’s facility in Mexico were fired for refusing to work overtime to undermine their American counterpart’s UAW strike.

Vigil for Mexican Unionists Murdered During NAFTA Renegotiations: Wednesday, November 20 at 10:30 AM in front of the United States Capitol. <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/AAE/ni0YAA/t.2wp/e-5yyykqR3urz2SVTj-GAg/h1/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZieSiR1xt6h2zAPrrZKB7vwlijo5P7-2FKeBurkWLZaYQvae-2F-2BQuDFQNd3VV-2Fcciqj6hZqOfAXEZaYl-2FmHKwZ2vM9gvFj6YoOV5DqWH1IfqY8csmyT3-2FztUPiyF3OkhOvaFwmLiQSe7TZ3kTprAbXXpKlpB8xQxZBrr05bd1PIbWkejMc0yo1XWFiBwPTnygRAN5jmC2Z8fc5O9Z8CB-2F9OERdiiFtlNbk8KZl-2FKU-2BbhLRJE-2BfwloZp99V0A7WMAdCSkhYRJVwzqEYsbHYq2Crv3Ul1qWjdlzSz3Qk3mX8FNO-2FSAES4G0O9-2Fi8FkBrXgvivxk0ZB8xl7LR901IOHIU-2FXWQWWat0lrRlKpjAsd1n5sCwVjnOoGYhfaJ8hqXe0-2FCOc5YxqVQs8GhehUe2VPMV1bwxY57i5IfVw5Rx8joNDtZq099TCbURNAt1Ielq1VYDqAEZGY5DF4ZZfC-2FszgbfTCDzs7xTw-2Baznphe-2Fnfoxde7B/uqoU>
Can you join us? <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/AAE/ni0YAA/t.2wp/e-5yyykqR3urz2SVTj-GAg/h2/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZieSiR1xt6h2zAPrrZKB7vwlijo5P7-2FKeBurkWLZaYQvae-2F-2BQuDFQNd3VV-2Fcciqj6hZqOfAXEZaYl-2FmHKwZ2vM9gvFj6YoOV5DqWH1IfqY8csPscGvvkjFKxeSKPee-2BejfX2zDiHCtd7iLdtvFv3wPKHvjaj11wc8rmFjae7dVdp2qo4p2rWBSjRPJNDZ7QVWRnfnDP1l2StsOXb7746CFNxIAgUbpsqwgQfMyj8kprKBKxrvXwe-2BhHaZQCCv3l9pZiutSNrcba5BrQ2zVOGRe3ZKK3tMh4-2BD3h0ZX1W4UFXR5-2BdRkUqbIlmZGb5K2MtUnqJfXQxqTsl9XX41zI0BhvsjAi-2Bj6h67wlQLJ48g-2B-2FLNB9U8WkLAtcOM5eSlUt0mmGxp1fAz-2FquDQKOGLMDKdHKy-2BligKfkwVoHLMyF-2Frv4sNU4wmRw06vPp-2BadCwNKLXNG9kxSrvXkUqMOkL0Hm2mJDKTy7QVOHpfxQPGYDczIZ/kDjI>
Strong labor rights and enforcement in a NAFTA replacement deal could help counter the specter of violence and death that strangles the fight for decent wages and working conditions in Mexico. This would improve the lives of Mexican and U.S. working people.

We demand justice for Oscar Hernández Romero, Quintin Salgado, Marcelino Sahuanitla Peña and Víctor Sahuanitla Peña. A real NAFTA replacement must protect ALL workers: that means guaranteeing their right to organize and ending the extrajudicial repression of activists.
Please RSVP here <https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mps2/c/AAE/ni0YAA/t.2wp/e-5yyykqR3urz2SVTj-GAg/h3/CA0gLXQEKb6jqGkD7RqZieSiR1xt6h2zAPrrZKB7vwlijo5P7-2FKeBurkWLZaYQvae-2F-2BQuDFQNd3VV-2Fcciqj6hZqOfAXEZaYl-2FmHKwZ2vM9gvFj6YoOV5DqWH1IfqY8csJT6FftqE6Cxe6OJ1nttwpo3zxejix0OZm4SCZiP942D1eU3-2FIKxF-2FJayQGGCajGj2scE9ewE8i61C4H8KTTCNAe1u6eIn4blRgF3Dej1mxJPvkA8-2BTueR9WIHF57OvFNSSxl3aGddg7vBn2iVUixUpZtzOy7tV5CQMvaskAVZudRN89-2FkqrcoCETps849-2FNuccd7GQCTAlVZWmF0lNQ-2Fb60-2FgYI5v53ruap17CAeBW-2BgnLZOaPTsyuDfX2OK84iibkFhIkdKAvU1BHB8g76yUyyewQ7tuxZCbJQeMA2Ci-2FijixObbH-2BpSn0xS2fsYpsiU6PyJSt6KGWvblETA-2BO4Li608cT-2BAxJ3QcDXXHbzYS2fmFHVArok6uP8TEz6VNth/x8_m> if you an make it! I hope to see you there,

Ryan

Begin forwarded message:

From: George Kimball <george at citizenstrade.org <mailto:george at citizenstrade.org>>
Subject: Justice for Oscar Hernández Romero
Reply-To: george at citizenstrade.org <mailto:george at citizenstrade.org>

Rally in Solidarity with Los Mineros
Justice for Oscar Hernández Romero and the Media Luna Miners! 
Defend the Right to Organize! 
No Vote on NAFTA Until It's Fixed!

The Consulate General of Mexico
27 East 39th Street
New York, New York

Tuesday, November 19th, 2019
4:30 PM

Join faith leaders, union members and human rights advocates as we hold a vigil outside the Mexican consulate on Tuesday calling for an investigation into the disappearance of  labor activist Oscar Hernández Romero and for greater enforcement of labor rights.

Three people attempting to organize an independent union at the Media Luna gold mine in southwestern Mexico have been murdered in recent years. Brothers Víctor and Marcelino Sahuanitla Peña were dragged from a union protest and shot. A year later union leader Quintin Salgado was killed. Now their colleague, labor and environmental activist Oscar Hernández Romero, has been missing since September 23, 2019. His family and coworkers fear he has also been killed, and are asking authorities to investigate.  

All this is happening as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is currently being renegotiated.  There can be no real NAFTA replacement without strong labor and environmental standards backed with swift and certain enforcement mechanisms.  As we call for justice for the Media Luna miners, we also call for real enforcement of labor rights for all workers moving forward.  

Similar vigils are planned in El Paso, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Washington, D.C.  

The New York consulate is within walking distance of Grand Central, Bryant Park and Penn Station.  Please join us.  For more info, contact George Kimball at george at citizenstrade.org <mailto:george at citizenstrade.org>.

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