Workers at two recently-opened hotels in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, went on strike Saturday to demand that they comply with new labor laws that allow them to choose their own union representation.

According to a report by the newspaper El Sudcalifoniano, the legal representatives of the Hard Rock and Nobu hotels have refused to respect a decision by the workers who decided through a secret ballot that the Revolutionary Confederation of Laborers and Farmworkers (CROC) would represent them in the signing of collective labor agreements.

The decision leaves the Mexican Workers’ Confederation (CTM), the hotels’ preferred union, out of the talks.

The CROC said the refusal of the hotels to allow the workers to be represented by the union of their choice is a clear violation of the new Federal Work Law, Convention 98 of the International Labor Organization and the new North American trade agreement, a revised version of which was signed by Mexico, the United States and Canada last month.

The union also says that workers at the two hotels, both of which were officially opened by actor Robert De Niro during a recent visit to Los Cabos, have received threats of dismissal if they don’t join the CTM.

In light of the situation, the CROC is calling for the federal Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare and state authorities to intervene to ensure that the workers’ rights are respected.

Source: El Sudcaliforniano (sp)