Xalapa Water Workers Protest Irregularities, Harassment

Workers from the Municipal Water and Sanitation Commission (CMAS) in Xalapa, Veracruz, staged a protest against what they describe as irregularities, harassment, and a lack of attention to their union demands. Members of the CMAS Xalapa Employees and Workers Union blocked a main street in the historic center and gathered in front of the Municipal Palace.

Their grievances include alleged violations of their Collective Bargaining Agreement and official attempts to undermine the union. Union leader Carlos Hernández Rodríguez highlighted several critical issues: a shortage of permanent positions for over 70 temporary employees, insufficient equipment, and precarious working conditions. He also pointed to a lack of electricity at water dams and supply plants, which impacts operations.

Hernández Rodríguez stated that the most serious concern is the alleged harassment of unionized workers by officials who are pressuring them to join other organizations, even threatening them with the loss of various payments. He condemned efforts to destabilize the union, which was founded in 1964, and demanded direct dialogue with the municipal president, Daniela Griego, and intervention from Governor Rocío Nahle García.

"We are not about confrontation, we are about dialogue... they do not allow us dialogue with her, it is that filter, that intermediary who seeks to distort the information," Hernández Rodríguez said. The CMAS Xalapa serves a large user base for water, drainage, and sanitation services, handling approximately 4,000 citizen reports monthly, primarily related to leaks and operational problems.

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No somos de golpeteo, somos de diálogo (…) no nos permiten dialogo con ella, es ese filtro, ese intermediario que busca desvirtuar la información