AFL-CIO Solidarity Center Report Shows that Colombia Leads World in Murders of Trade Unionists; Report Released as U.S. Government Is Poised To Reward Dismal Human Rights Performance with New Trade Benefits

Colombia remains the world leader in number of assassinations, and the murders are increasingly selective and systematic, according to an AFL-CIO Solidarity Center report released today that highlights the changing nature of violence in Colombia. The Struggle for Worker Rights in Colombia shows that despite a recent decline in trade unionists killed, more labor rights advocates are killed in Colombia than in any other country.

Forced by recent events, groups that kill trade unionists in Colombia are beginning to target labor leaders. Their strategy, which results in a decline in the total number of workers killed, has a deadly impact on unions and sends an unquestionably clear message to working people in Colombia -- organize and die.

“The report reveals a reality for Colombian workers that is riddled with threats, violence, illegal detentions, impunity, legal limitations, abuses of hiring laws, illegal dismissals and a system of governmental authorities that fails to protect workers from further violations or to remedy the existing ones,” said Linda Chavez-Thompson, executive vice president of the AFL-CIO. Chavez-Thompson is also the President of ORIT, the Inter-American Organization of Workers of the ICFTU.

Chavez-Thompson spoke at the release of the report that also featured a panel discussion on human, labor rights violations in Colombia. In addition to violence, the report considers other issues that impact Colombian workers: gender, ethnic and racial discrimination, forced and child labor. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bob Perillo, US/ Labor Education in the Americas Project, Lisa Haugaard, Executive Director, Latin American Working Group, Charlie Key, Secretary-Treasurer, Georgia AFL-CIO, Hector de Jesus Vasquez Fernandez, Central Unitaria de Trabajadores-Antioquia and Co-founder of the National Union School, Medellin, Colombia also spoke on the panel.

The timing of the release coincides with the conclusion of free trade negotiations between the United States and Colombia. Despite Colombia’s horrific record on workers’ rights, the U.S. pushed ahead with negotiations that resulted in an agreement that offers scant protection of basic human rights in Colombia.

“I hope the report will generate discussion in Congress and lead them to realize that having a free trade agreement with a country that allows trade unionists to be murdered with impunity is outrageous,” said Bob Perillo, author of the report. Negotiations for the agreement are complete, but each country still needs to ratify it before the agreement will take effect. “The chances for stopping it are right here in Washington,” Perillo said about the U.S.-Colombian free trade agreement.

“As workers and as a labor movement we care deeply about worker struggles in Colombia and we consider them part of our own struggles,” Linda Chavez-Thompson said.

The Struggle for Worker Rights in Columbia is part of a series of reports put out by the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center. Founded by the AFL-CIO in 1997, the Solidarity Center is a non-profit organization that assists workers around the world who are struggling to build democratic and independent trade unions.

Contact Dana Ford 202-637-5018