Montana labor news., 1935-09-12
VERY POPULAR
With AMERICAN PEOPLE
Miners Seek
Contact With j. 5.
Unions; Unity Grows

MEXICO C~ITY-FP)-The Min
ers & Metallurgical Workers Union of
Mexico has written to Pres. John L.
Lewis Of the United Mine Workers Of
America and to the international Union
of Mine, Mill & Smelters Workers to.
establish fraternal relations with
American miners.
It is the feeling among Mexican min
ers that they ought to know the con-
ditions Of work and organization Of
miners, everywhere, but they are par
ticularly anxious to know the conditions
of the miners in the United States.
They feel that they have many prob
lens in common and that they may be
able to get and to give help toward
their solution.
The Miners and Metallurgical Work
ers Union was organized in April,
1884. In that short period, it has been
able to affiliate over 90 per cent Of the
miners in Mexico. It is organized as
an industrial union and controls $4,000
miners and metallurgical workers. Less
than 10000 miners are organized out
side of this union and the officers Of
the union are engaged in negotiations
with one Of the independent unions
whereby 5000 Of them will in the near
future affiliate with the M. &. M. U.
During the unions brief existence, it
has successfully fought two important
strikes and a number Of minor ones
AT its first convention, it established a
common strike fund through taxing
each member one days wages. Each
member pays about 7 cents a week, Of
which 30 per cent goes to maintain the
central office and 20 per cent is left
with the local to spend as it sees fit.
The union has been able to raise the
average wage of miners throughout the
country. 1t has concerned itself es-
p~ecially with raising the wage Of the
lcwest-paid workers.
The rapid growth Of the miners
union is only a symptom of what is
taking place in Mexico. There seem.
to be the tendency to establish ma
tional industrial unions. The railroad
workers were the first to realize that
organized as an industrial union, they
would be able to have more power. In
January, 1888, at their fourth conven-
ton, they agreed to change the form oil
organization from a confederation Of
trade unions to the industrial form.
Ever since then, the railroad worker:
have been helping to organize indus
trial unions Of other workers, They
hope that this form will eventually
predominant in Mexico. They are now
helping the oil workers organize al
industrial union.
This development in the Mexican la
Dor movement is interesting because i
is essentially a movement from below
and not one that is being imposed from
above. In fact, it has taken place, &c
some extent, against the wishes Of pol
liticians, who have exercised important
control over many unions.
The Mexican labor movement in The
past two years has been aggressive anC
has fought many strikes.
It was this increasing militancy tina.
led General Gales, the strong man o.
Mexico, to issue his recent statemen.
against strikes and against many OF the
workers organizations.
This has lost Gales his control ovel
{ the country and has led to the ide.
~pendence Of President Cardenas from
the control Of Gales, 1t has been re.
/ sponsible for the establishment of thu
National Committee of Proletarian De
%fense, called together at the instigatioi
OF the Electrical Workers Union.
The N. C. P. D. is made up Of all i'm
portant central organizations Of Mex
leo with the exception Of the c. X
10. NJ, the erstwhile powerful Mexicai
Federation Of Labor that at one tim.
controlled over 100000 workers AM
/ now hardly controls $4,000. The com
mittee hopes that the congress about t.
= convene will do away with the existing
central organizations and will form on
i powerful Federation of Mexican Work
: ers.
There are, however, many well-in
formed leaders who doubt that the con
2 gress will succeed in unifying the Ia
Dor movement of Mexico. They rathe
l~expect the growth of national indus
trial unions to continue, eventual
lgrowing into a federation Of nationa
{ industrial unions.