Catherwood LibraryILR School

Three years after mine workers seized the Cananea copper mine, the Mexican president sent in federal police to evict the striking workers. The government said that the police entered the complex with no resistance, and the company that owns the mine, Grupo Mexico said that it was assessing damages and looking towards reopening the mine in the future. The National Mining and Metal Workers union asked labor to protest the action, saying it was illegal. The union also said that three people were injured by gunfire when the police took back the mine. After losing their last appeal, the union said that it would blow up the mine rather than giving it back to Grupo Mexico. They later backed off of the threats, and said that they were open to negotiation. The Mexican government is seen as decidedly pro-business, and the union says that they are targeted because of the benefits that they get for their members.