BMWE has been following events in Mexico closely both for purposes of solidarity and for the interests of our own members. Over the past two years, we have worked with some consultants to make certain that events do not overtake us. We have watched as KCS purchased major trackage in Northeast Mexico. We have seen the Union Pacific become a major part of a U.S./Mexican conglomerate by purchasing massive trackage in Western Mexico. And we are aware that one of the purposes of the proposed CN/IC merger is to become a major competitor in the North America/South America rail freight system.

As a result of massive downsizing caused by the privatization of the Mexican rail system described in the previous paragraph, railroad workers in Mexico centered in the city of Empalme went on strike in February of this year. For several weeks they took on the U.S./Mexican railroad companies. Retirees from the Mexican rail system also confronted the U.S./Mexican railroad companies.

As a result of all of this activity, BMWE and the Teamsters sponsored a policy statement through the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO to create a joint fact-finding mission to Mexico - to meet with local, regional and national Mexican rail labor leaders and rank and filers, and to assess the state of the transportation industry within Mexico, and what it's potential impact can be within the U.S. The purpose of a fact-finding mission is to also help forge a closer relationship between Mexican and U.S. transportation labor.

The fact-finding mission is to include representatives from the BMWE, Teamsters, TWU, TCU, UTU, BLE as well as representatives from the AFL-CIO. Roger Sanchez, General Chairman from the Southern Pacific Atlantic Federation and Director of Research Joel Myron will represent the BMWE on the Mexican fact finding mission, which will occur between April 20 and April 27, 1998 (after this JOURNAL goes to press). I have authorized them to invite one or two of the Mexican railroaders to our Grand Lodge Convention in Montreal if they deem it appropriate to do so. The delegation plans to spend time in Mexico City with some of the Mexican national rail union leadership and some pro-labor politicians and will then travel to Empalme to meet with local rail union leaders, including those who led and participated in the strike. They will join with the rest of the transportation labor delegation in drafting a report which will be presented to the BMWE, as well as to the TTD and the AFL-CIO.

We are aware of recent acts of repression that have occurred against labor and others within Mexico, including deportations of some U.S. labor officials, and the murder of 45 pro-Zapatista peasants in the Southern Mexican state of Chiapas, and are doing everything possible to guarantee the effectiveness, safety and productivity of the members of the fact-finding mission. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney has personally contacted the proper authorities within Mexico to further these objectives.

Whether we like it or not, globalization of the economy requires U.S. labor to become more directly involved with the rest of the world. If we keep our heads in the sand, we may very well find our work being contracted out to Mexican workers, as has occurred already within the auto industry, and experience a downward pressure put on our wages, benefits and working conditions. Over the past couple of years we have monitored events within Mexico and the creation of this fact-finding delegation is a part of our keeping on top of events which can impact all of us. I thank the AFL-CIO, the TTD, and all of the unions involved, as well as those who will be part of this fact-finding mission, for having the foresight and courage to participate in this project.