Cleaning workers protest in Mexico City over labour disputes: Video
Cleaning workers in Mexico City staged a protest on Friday, December 12, dumping and burning several tonnes of garbage outside the General Directorate’s offices to demand the fulfilment of labour and union agreements.
Footage from the scene shows workers using shovels and brooms to clear debris left on the streets, highlighting both the scale of the demonstration and the intensity of their grievances. The protest was triggered by the suspension of an administrative process that would have allowed staff to join a union offering improved benefits and representation.
An independent cleaning worker told Viory reporters, “They have to fulfil the union and labour agreements and mainly respect the work being done, but well, we already did our part, it has to be respected, and they have to give us our place.” The protest disrupted the city’s normal routines, with more than a dozen trucks unloading waste onto sidewalks, fires prompting a response from firefighters, and demonstrators damaging government property. Local medical teams treated several people at the scene, though no serious injuries were reported.
Residents described the event as alarming. Juan Castillo, a neighbour: “There is a message for the government to adjust to their petitions, to reach a common agreement and avoid all these kinds of jokes, it is ugly.” The protest reflects broader tensions in Mexico over labour rights and union representation, highlighting how workers’ demands can escalate into public demonstrations when official channels stall.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
