The AFL-CIO Continues the Struggle to Defend Colombian Unionists and Defeat the Colombian Free Trade Agreement

In April, after President Bush ignored protocol and sent the Colombian Free Trade Agreement to Congress without the consent of leadership, the pressure has been on for those that oppose this agreement. Many politicians, economists, citizens of both the United States and Colombia , and organizations, including the AFL-CIO, oppose the Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) because it will be detrimental to workers in both countries. Click here to read why the AFL-CIO opposes the Colombia Free Trade Act.  

The House of Representatives made a wise choice by voting to revoke the fast-track timeline for consideration of the Colombia FTA which President Bush enacted. This time-line would have required that the Colombia FTA be voted upon within 90 days, leaving little time for Representatives to hear and consider the concerns around Colombia ’s labor and human rights situation. Without the fast track time-line, Congress will have time for further negotiations to improve the content of the agreement and hopefully ensure the safety of Colombian workers.

So far in 2008, 17 unionists have been killed in Colombia , a rate of nearly 1 murder per week. Since 1986, more than 2,500 unionists have been killed in Colombia , with only 3% of these murders leading to successful prosecution. To enact a free trade agreement with a country with such an abysmal record on human and workers’ rights is appalling. In addition, the UN’s International Labor Organization reports that Colombia ’s labor laws are far below the minimum set of rights that all countries must guarantee, regardless of level of development.

The Colombia Free Trade Agreement would hurt both countries; in America, it would eliminate jobs, increase the trade deficit, and shrink paychecks; in Colombia , the agreement’s lack of regulation and protection will only perpetuate the dangerous climate for unionists with a lack of regulation and protection. To continue opposition to this agreement, we must educate the general public about how harmful the Colombia Free Trade Agreement would be and urge our legislators to vote against it until Colombia can ensure the safety of its unionists. Click here to read an editorial about the Colombia FTA by Rich Rogers, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Greater Boston Labor Council. Click here to read more about the Colombia FTA and why so many oppose it. Click here for President Sweeney’s editorial on the US-Colombia FTA.