Cananea's miners are facing firing and rehiring

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.26.2008 LIMA, Peru — Phoenix-based Southern Copper Corp. said it plans to fire all the striking workers at its Cananea mine in Mexico and rehire them with a new labor agreement. Workers at Cananea, Sonora, about 90 miles southeast of Tucson, have been on strike since last July 30. Southern Copper, controlled by Grupo Mexico SAB, closed the mine April 11, offering 1,300 workers a severance package after the National Mining and Metal Workers Union refused to recognize a ruling by a Mexican labor court in January calling the strike illegal. Chief Financial Officer Genaro Guerrero Diaz Mercado said Southern Copper is working with the government and the union to reopen the mine, Guerrero said. "The company's plan is to terminate all the workers and rehire them with a new labor agreement," he said.... [read full story]