Strikers in Mexico Start Returning to Mines

Mexican miners and steelworkers began calling off strikes across the country Thursday, a day after staging walkouts in support of a union boss faced with a leadership challenge.

The 250,000-member National Mining and Metal Workers Union said it sent a memorandum to all 130 union chapters saying that workers should do what was in their best interest. That was a tacit recognition that a number of union chapters had already voted to return to their jobs, including workers at the country’s biggest silver mine, owned by Industrias Penoles. Later in the day, workers returned to Penoles’ metals refining division in Torreon and most of its other mines. All were expected to return, company spokesman Luis Rey said.

Workers at two steel plants and 14 mines owned by Altos Hornos de Mexico also ended their walkout, a company spokesman said.

The strikes also affected the country’s two largest copper mines, La Caridad and Cananea, owned by Grupo Mexico, although La Caridad’s smelter and refinery were still operating.

The two copper mine strikes were prompted by concern about safety after a mine explosion that killed 65 workers last week.

The gas explosion Feb. 19 killed 65 workers at the Pasta de Conchos coal mine in the northern state of Coahuila.

Wednesday’s other walkouts, however, had more to do with a power struggle in the union and allegations of corruption. Most workers went on strike to support union boss Napoleon Gomez Urrutia, who is being challenged by union dissident Elias Morales.

The miners also are demanding that the Labor Department retract its recognition of Morales, something it has not yet done.

The Labor Ministry had declared the strikes illegal.