Mexico: Labour law reforms approved

The Cámara de Diputados in Mexcio (House of representatives) has approved a labour reform that will eliminate free and secret vote to elect union leaders.

Members of various unions have rallied and protested against the labour reform, and according to the police, some of the activists tried to force their entry into the premises of the legislature. But Humberto Montes de Oca fom the Mexican Electrical Workers (SME), denied this: "They seek to divert attention from the essential and to criminalise protest. Although the protest was strong, it was not violent. They want us to appear as if we were vandals, to discredit us."

"We can not allow our rights to negotiate to be restricted," said Martin Esparza Flores, general secretary of the SME.

Oscar Moreno, President of the Labour Congress of Mexico, said that workers "have been deceived", adding that they have never objected to necessary adjustments to the labour laws, but only if they ensured jobs and workers rights were not affected.

The leader of the university workers (STUNAM) Agustin Rodriguez, said that the discussion on trade union freedom and transparency was "just a distraction" for not addressing issues such as precarious work.