INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-COLOMBIA:

SUPPORT COLOMBIAN WORKERS AGAINST PARAMILITARY VIOLENCE:

The country of Colombia has the dubious distinction of being "the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unioniost". Paramilitary violence against workers is an almost daily occurance. Here's one instance, reported by the international union federation the IUF, along with the IUF's appeal for international solidarity.

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Colombian Workers Under Fire:
Urgent Action 18-01-2010
Workers in Colombia are once again victims of armed violence for trying to exercise their right to join and be represented by a trade union.

On January 14, armed gunmen entered the Palo Alto plantation, Ciénaga district, Magdelena. They had a list of names in their hands and demanded to know the whereabouts of two specific workers José Luis Soto Jaramillo y Juan Carlos Torres Muñoz. They then shouted, "Get out of here because we have come to kill you – no hiding" and opened fire, wounding Miguel Augusto Cuenca Torregroza. 185 workers were then forced at gunpoint to leave their workplace.

The IUF-affiliated SINTRAINAGRO immediately condemned the violence and called for solidarity action. The Palo Alto workers had been protesting since December 23, 2009 about non-payment of wages, bonuses, redundancy payments, family grant payments, funeral services and seven years of their employer not paying pension and healthcare contributions. The company is refusing to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with their union, SINTRAINAGRO.

The Palo Alto plantation, which produces hearts of palm, belongs to Palo Alto Gnecco Espinosa Investments, a private company with substantial investments in Colombia's Atlantic coast zone.
The IUF has written to Colombian president Alvaro Uribe and to government ministers to bring the case to their attention. The letter demands that the government investigate the incident and take immediate measures to guarantee the safety of the workers and to ensure they can exercise their fundamental trade union rights.

Click here to send a protest message to the Colombian Government.

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THE LETTER

Please click on the link above or on this link to send the following letter (en español) to the Colombian authorities.

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Dr. ALVARO URIBE VELEZ

Presidente de Colombia
Dr. FRANCISCO SANTOS CALDERON

Vicepresidente encargado de la política de Derechos Humanos en Colombia
Dr. DIEGO PALACIO BETANCOUTH

Ministro del Trabajo y la Protección SocialBogotá – Colombia
Estimados señores,

Sintrainagro, Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria Agropecuaria, nos ha informado sobre la violación de los derechos de asociación, libertad sindical y negociación colectiva en que viene incurriendo la empresa palmera Inversiones Palo Alto, ubicada en el municipio Pueblo Viejo del departamento del Magdalena – Colombia, quien respondió a la afiliación de 200 trabajadores(as) y la presentación del pliego de peticiones para la negociación de la Convención Colectiva, con el despido de 185 trabajadores y la incursión armada de grupos ilegales violentos que han pretendido el desalojo de la huelga y el asesinato de dirigentes sindicales dejando como consecuencia herido el trabajador Miguel Augusto Cuesta.

Por lo expuesto, instamos de manera urgente a su gobierno y a las autoridades protectoras de Derechos Humanos y del trabajo a intervenir de forma inmediata, para garantizar el derecho a la vida de los trabajadores(as) y dirigentes sindicales, lo mismo que la aplicación plena de los convenios fundamentales de OIT ya adoptados por el Estado Colombiano respecto a los derechos de asociación, libertad sindical y negociación colectiva.
Atentamente,