Global union defends human & labour rights in
Colombia
12 October 2009
Workers Uniting, the world’s first international union, has
expressed dismay about the attacks levelled against critics of the
Colombia Free Trade Agreements by Colombian Vice-President,
Francisco Santos in Brussels.
The global union which represents three million workers in North
America, the UK & Ireland, has raised objection to Mr Santos’
claims that those campaigning against the EU Agreement are somehow
“using” human rights as a pretext for a protectionist objective in
opposing the Agreement.
Workers Uniting, the world’s first global union is a partnership
between Unite from the United Kingdom and the United Steelworkers
(USW) from the United States and Canada. The union has firmly
refuted Mr. Santos’ claim that ‘enemies of free trade’ present a
manipulated version of the human rights situation.
Leo Gerard, USW International President and joint chair of
Workers Uniting, said:
“Workers Uniting have serious concerns about the human rights
abuses within Columbia. With our partner union Unite in the UK and
Ireland, the USW has taken a principled stance in denouncing the
unprecedented anti-union violence which has been ongoing in
Colombia since 1986.
“Since that time, over 2,700 unionists have been assassinated,
accounting for a majority of the trade unionists killed world-wide
during the same period. In the first eight months of this year
alone, at least 24 unionists have been assassinated in Colombia,
allowing Colombia to continue its dubious distinction of being the
most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists.
“It is because of such unprecedented anti-union violence in
Colombia that unions in Europe and North America have consistently
denounced the human rights situation in the country, opposed
military aid and opposed any trade deal with Colombia. In taking
this position, these unions are acting in solidarity with the three
main trade union confederations in Colombia who also oppose a free
trade agreement on this basis.”
It is widely known, and acknowledged by President Obama himself,
the US free trade agreement has been delayed owing specifically to
human rights concerns and concern over the impunity enjoyed by the
killers. The same applies to the Canada agreement.
Leo Gerard continued: “By attacking the union movements of
Europe and the U.S., Mr. Santos is repeating the very type of
anti-union vilification which the current Colombian regime has been
criticised for engaging in against Colombian unions for many
years.
“Moreover, in levelling these attacks, Vice-President Santos is
attempting to turn attention away from his government’s own human
rights abuses – abuses which include collaboration with right-wing
paramilitaries at the highest reaches of the government and
military; extra-judicial killings by the Colombian military which
have claimed 1,700 lives since President Uribe took office in 2002
and the continued slaughter of trade unionists.”
The claims made by the Colombian Vice-President simply
reinforces that fact that the Colombian regime is not taking the
grave human rights situation seriously, despite a 25 percent
increase in trade union killings from 2007 to 2008, as well as
increases in various other human rights abuses.
Workers Uniting in Europe and the U.S. will continue to struggle
in solidarity with the Colombian trade union movement in opposing
any measures, whether trade-based or not, which would reward the
Colombian government for continuing to preside over the worst human
rights situation trade unionists are forced to confront on this
planet.
- Ends –
For more information please contact:
Unite - Saba Mozakka – 0044 7768 693 953
USW - Dan Kovalik – 412 335 6442
Email to a friend
Want to share this story? These sites allow you to tag and share links across the internet enabling you to share these links with friends and people with similar interests. You can also access your links from any computer you happen to be using.
