Peñoles Responds to Labor Rights Conflict at Tizapa Mine

Peñoles says it is committed to defend its workers' rights to union association and collective bargaining, following a request by the US government for Mexico to investigate alleged labor rights violations at the Tizapa mine in the State of Mexico. 

Peñoles also said in a statement that it is willing to cooperate with Mexican authorities in clarifying the irregularities reported in its mine in order to continue producing lead, zinc, and copper concentrates.

This week, the US government urged Mexico to investigate potential violations of labor rights at the Minera Tizapa mine. This request follows a petition filed in early March by the Miners Union, affiliated with the National Union of Miners, Metallurgists, Steelworkers, and Similar Industries (SNTMMSSRM) led by Napoleón Gómez Urrutia. The petition states that Industrias Peñoles infringed upon workers' freedom of association and collective bargaining rights.

The union also accuses Industrias Peñoles of allegedly favoring the FRENTE Union, suggesting that Minera Tizapa grants benefits solely to FRENTE members, putting SNTMMSSRM miners at a disadvantage.

Thea Lee, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, US Department of Labor, says that actions impeding workers from choosing their union representation constitute a direct attack on their rights.

The United States’ request falls under the USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism, a dispute resolution procedure established under the trade agreement. The Mexican government has a 10-day period to decide on whether to conduct an investigation and a subsequent 45-day period to investigate the claims and provide its findings, as specified by the US Department of Labor.

This marks the second time that the SNTMMSSRM has requested a labor procedure against a mining company. In August 2023, at the union's request, the United States called for activating the labor mechanism against Grupo México’s San Martin mine in Zacatecas. The case remains disputed as the Mexican government did not acknowledge it.

The Tizapa mine has been operational since 1994. Peñoles claims a 51% ownership stake in the mine, with Dowa Mining and Sumitomo Corporation holding 39% and 11%, respectively. Peñoles says that Tizapa ranks among Mexico's Top 4 zinc mines and employs 586 workers. The concentrates extracted are sent to Japan for processing.