Mexican government intervenes to end Coca-Cola strike in Matamoros
By
Alex González
23 March 2019
On Wednesday, the Federal Arbitration Board declared the ongoing strike by 700 Coca-Cola workers in Matamoros “illegal,” opening the door for lawsuits and mass arrests if the workers continue to picket the city’s bottling facility. The federal government, led by the “leftist” Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), alleges that the Union of Laborers and Industrial Workers of the Maquiladora Industry (SJOIIM) never presented the appropriate documents to initiate strike proceedings at Coca-Cola.
The intervention by federal authorities signals a marked escalation in the attack against the working class. This action openly shows that the local, state, federal and court systems are jointly operating on behalf of the corporations and against the workers. Over 4,700 workers have now been fired, with the blessing of the union and the government, as a reprisal for the strike wave in Matamoros.
“This was a technical work stoppage, there was never a strike, we have notified all parties and the union leader. This stoppage did not exist, a strike was never launched,” said María Eugenia Navarrete, head of the Federal Board of Conciliation and Arbitration (JFCA).
After learning that the union had betrayed their strike, a group of Coca-Cola workers attempted to enter SJOIIM headquarters Wednesday evening and speak to union leader Juan Villafuerte. A physical confrontation ensued after union thugs forcefully denied the workers access to the building.
On Thursday, a temporary legal protection was granted by local courts against the federal ruling. Although the union claims to have filed the paperwork, it is entirely credible that the SJOIIM delayed filings in order to sabotage the…