Martín Esparza Flores was sworn in yesterday for a new period as secretary general of the Mexican Electricians union, SME, La Jornada reports, faithfully adding that a "committee of observers" agree that Esparaza was elected according to the unions statutes.
The newspaper fails to neglect one little detail: The electricians were free to elect any candidate they wanted, as long as it was Esparza: His list was the only option available. For that you need to read Milenio's coverage.
When it comes to causes dear to LJ's heart, above AMLO and any and all organizations allied with him, it is, unfortunately, not possible to rely on the newspaper as one of record: Omitting is distorting.
Showing posts with label Martín Esparza Flores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Martín Esparza Flores. Show all posts
Friday, July 15, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
ILO rejects SME complaint: A victory for Calderón
The Geneva-based International Labor Federation (ILO) notably rejected a 2009 complaint by the Mexican electricians union, Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas (SME), over the decision by President Felipe Calderón to liquidate the state-owned Luz y Fuerza electric company, regarding this to have been the legal prerogative of the Mexican state.
This is a big setback for SME leader Martín Esparza Flores, and a victory for Calderón and Labor Secretary Javier Lozano.
This is a big setback for SME leader Martín Esparza Flores, and a victory for Calderón and Labor Secretary Javier Lozano.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Does SME really have no shame?
About a week ago, the SME again created absolute chaos in Mexico City, using disturbingly violent methods. Members of the electricians union damaged and burnt cars, beat up police officers, a fireman, one photographers, and two reporters, and 11 violent thugs were arrested.
Even Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who seeks the votes of the SME and their extended family members and has been extremely lenient toward SME's many disruptive demonstrations, condemned the violence.
Even Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who seeks the votes of the SME and their extended family members and has been extremely lenient toward SME's many disruptive demonstrations, condemned the violence.
SME leader Martín Esparza Flores first claimed that the damage was done by people who had "infiltrated" SME, then accepted that the 11 arrested were SME members, yet now demands the release of these 11 claiming they are political prisoners.
Beyond emphasizing that the SME truly has no shame and will do nothing to curb the violence of its members, the false comparison is truly an insult and a disservice to true political prisoners world wide, of which there are thankfully less and less of in Latin America.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Workers against worker: SME thugs attack CFE workers
I was about to write a post criticizing the SME when I saw that Ciro Gómez Leyva beat me to it, though using considerably harsher language than I would have utilized: The Milenio commentator refers to the Sindicato Mexicano de Electricistas (SME) and its leader Martín Esparza as "Blackshirts" and "Mussolini" respectively.
Gómez Leyva's point, for all its crude language and false comparisons, was nonetheless this: The SME are increasingly acting as pure thugs, utilizing violence against their detractors.
And the point I want to make: Their detractors are none else than... their fellow workers! Specifically, SME members, in a demonstration in the Reforma avenue in Mexico City, spotted a group of workers from the CFE, a company that has taken over some of the duties from the now-extinct Luz y Fuerza company, whose workers SME had unionized. Several CFE workers had the living daylights beaten out of them, and some had to go to the hospital. The CFE, to recall, is a state company that was founded by President Lázaro Cárdenas back in the 1930s. CFE workers are affiliated with the Sindicato Único de Trabajadores Electricistas de la República Mexicana (SUTERM).
If Esparza has condemned the violence committed by his men, it certainly has passed below my radar screen. The actions of the SME and their proclivity for violence has long been condemned by a range of actors; their utter hypocrisy in claiming to fight for workers rights while violently beating up other workingmen whose only crime is to have sought a job with the CFE, should equally be denounced.
Gómez Leyva's point, for all its crude language and false comparisons, was nonetheless this: The SME are increasingly acting as pure thugs, utilizing violence against their detractors.
And the point I want to make: Their detractors are none else than... their fellow workers! Specifically, SME members, in a demonstration in the Reforma avenue in Mexico City, spotted a group of workers from the CFE, a company that has taken over some of the duties from the now-extinct Luz y Fuerza company, whose workers SME had unionized. Several CFE workers had the living daylights beaten out of them, and some had to go to the hospital. The CFE, to recall, is a state company that was founded by President Lázaro Cárdenas back in the 1930s. CFE workers are affiliated with the Sindicato Único de Trabajadores Electricistas de la República Mexicana (SUTERM).
If Esparza has condemned the violence committed by his men, it certainly has passed below my radar screen. The actions of the SME and their proclivity for violence has long been condemned by a range of actors; their utter hypocrisy in claiming to fight for workers rights while violently beating up other workingmen whose only crime is to have sought a job with the CFE, should equally be denounced.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Martín Esparza (SME) in the House, "Economist of the Year" and accusations of illicit enrichment
Martín Esparza went to the Chamber of Deputies to demand the creation of a new company to replace the now-extinct Luz y Fuerza, a state company whose business has been taken over by another state company, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). Esparza's union has in the past months achieved notoriety by attacking and destroying CFE installations, as well as physically and verbally harassing the state workers of CFE.
In the Chamber, however, Esparza faced direct accusations of "scandalous and offensive" illicit enrichment, in the words of PAN national deputy Ivideliza Reyes who responded to Esparza's intervention:
Ouch. Reyes also claimed Esparza owns two more properties in the exclusive Quinta San Francisco neighborhood.Dirty, baseless accusations or an accurate description of Esparza's patrimonio? Esparza didn't respond directly but alluded to a lawsuit against Reyes. We'll see.
In the Chamber, however, Esparza faced direct accusations of "scandalous and offensive" illicit enrichment, in the words of PAN national deputy Ivideliza Reyes who responded to Esparza's intervention:
"We should give Martin Esparza the award of Economist of theYEar, as on a payroll salary of 335.26 pesos per day, or 10057 each month or 122,370 per year, he has a ranch, called Los Encinas, of 37.5 hecaters, located in Juandhó, Hidalgo, that features a charro, stables, horses from Europe, breeding place for roosters, and facilities for parties...
"Martin, how dare you ask your union members to vote for you, how dare you to ask them to re-elect you every time, and how dare you come to this Chamber to demand that they create a new company for you? Why do you continue to enrich yourselff? Why do you keep stealing from Mexico?"
Ouch. Reyes also claimed Esparza owns two more properties in the exclusive Quinta San Francisco neighborhood.Dirty, baseless accusations or an accurate description of Esparza's patrimonio? Esparza didn't respond directly but alluded to a lawsuit against Reyes. We'll see.
SME inching ever closer to PRI and Enrique Peña Nieto
The Mexican syndicate of electricians (SME) is moving ever closer to the PRI camp. Despite the tolerance that Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has shown toward their countless demonstrations and outright thuggery in Mexico City, many reports indicate that the union is trying to sell itself to the next/highest bidder.
Secretary General Martín Esparza announced that SME will be backed by a SNTE section from PRI-run Coahuila state in its next march, and that 80 PRI national deputies belonging to the Confederación Nacional Campesina (CNC) are backing their demand for a new electricity company in Mexico City, to replace the state Luz y Fuerza company that was dissolved by the federal government last year.
In addition, Esparza said the SME would also march toward the governor palace in Mexico State, where a majority of the SME members come from, to demand that Peña Nieto backs them.
How quickly Esparza and SME forgot about all the assistance and support from various leftwing and social organizations, as well as the city government itself, in Mexico City. Millions of inhabitants saw their travel interrupted from the many marches the SME held the past months, and voices called on Ebrard to say enough is enough. With the seeming decision of SME to jump in bed with the PRI, I wonder what Ebrard actually gained from the permissive attitudes toward the SME the past year.
Secretary General Martín Esparza announced that SME will be backed by a SNTE section from PRI-run Coahuila state in its next march, and that 80 PRI national deputies belonging to the Confederación Nacional Campesina (CNC) are backing their demand for a new electricity company in Mexico City, to replace the state Luz y Fuerza company that was dissolved by the federal government last year.
In addition, Esparza said the SME would also march toward the governor palace in Mexico State, where a majority of the SME members come from, to demand that Peña Nieto backs them.
How quickly Esparza and SME forgot about all the assistance and support from various leftwing and social organizations, as well as the city government itself, in Mexico City. Millions of inhabitants saw their travel interrupted from the many marches the SME held the past months, and voices called on Ebrard to say enough is enough. With the seeming decision of SME to jump in bed with the PRI, I wonder what Ebrard actually gained from the permissive attitudes toward the SME the past year.
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