SPAIN

February 14-19
SPAIN: ICEM and ITF affiliates, FIA-UGT and TCM-UGT have sent information (letter and statement) to several governmental bodies such as the Spanish Foreign Office and AECI as well as the European Parliament office in Spain, EU Delegation in Spain and representatives in the Congress of the Socialist Party and Izquierda Unida Party.  In addition the unions have met with representatives of the same bodies in order to explain the situation in Mexico and will continue to do so in the coming next weeks.  Union representatives were received by the Political Counselor at the Mexico Embassy and are preparing a summary with the facts from 2006 in order to send to Parliamentary Groups.  Support of the Global Days of Action also includes press outreach and publicity of the event of the FIA-UGT website.

February 16
A joint delegation from mining (CCOO and UGT), metal (UGT and CCOO), transport (UGT) and the confederation (UGT) met with a Congressional representative from the Workers' Socialist Party of Spain (PSOE) to discuss concerns regarding gross violations of trade union rights in Mexico. The delegation proposed to submit a "Proposition NO Delay" to the Congress plenary regarding the situation in Mexico.
 

February 15
Workers from UGT and CCOO at John Deere released a solidarity statement in support of workers' rights in Mexico. The statement is signed by the Spanish Works Council and Spanish members of the European Works Council. See statement here. For more information, please see: http://ugtjohndeere.com/mexico/

February 11
As part of the global mobilization effort, on Friday February 11, representatives of IMF affiliates MCA-UGT and FI/CC.OO met with the Ambassador of Mexico in Madrid and delivered a statement (http://www.emf-fem.org/About/IMF/Mexico-Days-of-Action/En-defensa-del-Derecho-a-la-Libertad-Sindical-en-Mexico). They also sent a joint letter to the Spanish Ambassador in Mexico.

Representatives from MCA-UGT, FIA-UGT and CCOO met with the Director of Political Affairs at the Mexican Embassy in Madrid. The delegation delivered information protesting the Mexican government's attack on freedom of association and its persecution of independent trade unions.Feb 15, 2011 – Kristyne Peter