‘No Colombia Trade Deal Without an End to Violence Against Trade Unionists’

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/06/07/no-colombia-trade-deal-without-an-end-to-violence-against-trade-unionists/

‘No Colombia Trade Deal Without an End to Violence Against Trade Unionists’

by James Parks, Jun 7, 2007

Five members of Congress made it clear today there will be no free trade agreement with Colombia until that country makes significant progress toward ending violence against trade unionists. Colombia also must honor internationally recognized human and workers’ rights and prosecutes high-ranking officials who are connected with murderous paramilitary groups, they say.



“This agreement will not get to the floor” unless Colombian authorities end the impunity of the people who murder trade unionists and human rights activists, Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) told a Capitol Hill press conference.

We want to see real change, real action, not just more endless talk.

The Colombia agreement is one of several trade deals the Bush administration is pushing that provides no protections for workers and are skewed in favor of Big Business. Deals currently on the table or being negotiated include pacts with Peru, Panama, South Korea and Malaysia.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for union members. Some 2,300 union leaders have been killed there since 1991 and only 37 people have been convicted in the murders.

FULL story at link.