Mexican power utility shut down.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2009/10/military-federal-police-bust-mexican-electrical-workers-union

fair bit of info here. i have plenty of other info but all in spanish, will translate if i get time.

More from Narco News:

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2009/10/military-and-federal-police-kidnap-electricians-put-them-work

I was interviewing Dan La Botz last night. He has written about the current situation in Mexico (http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/labotz111009.html, http://labornotes.org/node/2478, http://labornotes.org/node/2496) and is connected with folks who are struggling right now. He suggested that is a stretch to say workers are being "kidnapped" by federal forces and put to work. Intimidated into going back to work is probably more accurate. After the interview airs I can put a URL link to it here.

ok, here's a translation of an article on the situation as it was at the weekend. will post more as i get the time to do them.

Pedro Echeverría V. | Para Kaos en la Red | 25-10-2009 a las 18:56 |

Mexico: Brigades of Electricians and others, throughout the entire country for the National Strike.

1. The Mexican Union of Electricians (SME), summoned a massive assembly yesterday with more than 30 organisations present, in order to convoke a national front of struggle and revert the decisions of a government it described as despotic, authoritarian and repressive. As indicated by the Union’s leader Martín Esparza: “The government removed our comrades using the Public Forces and from one day to the next left 44 thousand workers unemployed, but it will be forced to pay for every one of its acts by the national peaceful movement”. The workers’ anger against the illegitimate government of Calderón was great and they were ready to take heaven by storm; above all on seeing the great level of support from a variety of organizations prepared to accompany them in the coming battles. The enormous audience vibrated with the energy of the masses.
2. In support of the electricians’ call and their urging “to move on from weak and isolated actions to collective and powerful ones”, dozens of political organizations, farmers, college students and members of civil society – amongst whom were the lópezobradoristas, the UNT, CNTE, students of the UNAM, IPN, Bachilleres, peasants of San Salvador Atenco, the Cardenista Power station, even managers of the CNC and representatives of parties (PRD and PT) - decided to form brigades, “boteos” to obtain to money for voters and bus passes. Today (Sunday) new assemblies and meetings in each ejido, park or school, will look to form the brigades that will prepare the national strike. All this while the government and other leaders of congress provide entertainment with the “dispute” over the budget
3. It should be noted that during the student movement of 1968 and by order of the industrialists and the government, newspapers, radio and the television dedicated themselves to smearing and slandering the young students, as is the case today against the electricians. Nevertheless tens of thousands of us brigadistas, after enlisting in brigades of each school and Faculty, walked all night to deposit informative fliers (containing the true story) at door of every house of Mexico City. As a result of this, plus the meetings in the markets and the great manifestations, we always enjoyed great support at the sides of our enormous marches. Our brigades – above all those of us who aimed “to workerise” the student movement they arrived at Lechería, Cuautitlán, Campos Hnos, Pantaco, Valle Ceilán y Tlalnepantla.
4. Now a different conjuncture appears: it is the working class, the electricians - the most important sector of it, which will receive the support of student activism. At the same time this working-class fight will surely help the students of the UNAM, the IPN, the UAM and other educational institutions, to rescue a movement that appears dead after the brutal repression it endured on the 6th of February 2000 and the imprisonment of more than 900 students. Although the educative authorities complain and bemoan the budgetary cuts that education is currently undergoing and strongly criticise the government, students must take advantage of these conditions to once again raise their demands for which they have fought from at least the Sixties. Now students and workers will be together.
5. For that reason the combative cries of “Strike, strike, strike, ” from the workers of graderío yesterday and which all the assembly followed, did not demand that the stoppage began immediately, but rather they were calls for the work of organisation to begin and the launch of the strike brigades to prevent spirits cooling off. Just as in 1968 all the Faculty photocopiers were put to work and brigade control Commissions were created so as to be informed of any police repression. It is urgent that commissions are now formed to visit worker and student leaders, peasant organisations, in order to know who are ready to ignite the general strike. In Mexico there is little experience, but there are French, Italian, Spanish and Argentine workers who could help us.
6. The General strike almost always has a union logic because the problems in hand have to do with the regulation of the world of work and their main players are the union organisations. But insofar that it is about laws, or their modification, and a head-on collision between the labour movement and the government the mobilisation then acquires a political sense. General strike demands that all of society declare themselves; either through preparing for and participating in the strike, or assuming a neutral position, of sympathy or external support, such as sectors of the petit-bourgeoisie, retailers, etc. or pronouncing themselves openly against the strike and supporting the government. The same with the political parties; they are forced to place themselves in one camp or the other - supporting the movement and opposing the government, or comprising part of the front that attacks the rights of the workers. (See Miguel Salas)
7. It is the government that politicises strikes by slandering and repressing them. The left must participate widely in these movements in order to gather its forces and to construct alternatives. The general strike is one of those occasions in which progressive forces, particularly the left that wants to change things, are not limited to simply better managing Capitalism, must put everything on the line so that things go well and constantly advance. In order to obtain it must it be foremost in inspiring people to participate in the strike; it must work with the unions and other social organizations in preparing the conditions; it must denounce from the political sphere all the manoeuvres and campaigns of the government, from institutional terrain to aid and promote strike propaganda and above all, to bring the maximum possible unity to all the initiatives.
8.Yesterday’s assembly at the electrician’s union was fundamental. It was without a doubt, as I said in recent articles, the grand opportunity to unify forces and to move processes along. The government of the Republic is worried and prepared to throw sums in the millions from the Budget that we have all paid, to buy off the media, journalists and leaders, but above all to further fortify the organs of repression. Us of the anti-parliamentary Left take advantage of this conjuncture to do political brigade work in all sectors of the population for this great general strike, for future great marches and other strikes in case the government does not want to listen and to obey the people. We also invite those sectors related to Zapatismo so that they are also part of the fight, just as we supported them in their moment.

Long Live the General Strike! Long Live the Working Class!

Im at work now but I can try to have it posted by Monday or Tuesday.