AFL-CIO Reiterates Opposition to Free Trade Agreement with Colombia

On November 8, 2007, the AFL-CIO expressed continued opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement in a letter to Congress. The text of the letter below, or you can read the original letter as a pdf.

Dear Representative:

On March 15, I wrote to you expressing the AFL-CIO's concerns regarding abuses of labor rights and human rights in Colombia. Since that time, we have continued to monitor the situation in Colombia closely, and my staff has recently visited the country to interview representatives of the trade union confederations, the government, and the office of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Although we were glad to have the opportunity to hear a wide variety of governmental and non-governmental perspectives, the information we gathered did not give us confidence that workers in Colombia are now able to freely exercise their fundamental labor rights without legitimate and well-founded fear for their safety and for the safety of their families. Furthermore, we are not convinced that the government's recent actions in response to external criticism are sufficient to adequately address the very deeply rooted problems of violence, impunity for the perpetrators of that violence, and abuse of workers' rights that exist in Colombia. Therefore, the AFL-CIO remains unalterably opposed to passage of the U.S.-Colombi Free Trade Agreement.

Indeed, two trade union leaders were murdered in Colombia within the last week. We were deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Leonidas Silva Castro, a local union president of the Asociaci6n Sindical de Institutores Nortesantandereanos (Teachers Union of Norte de Santander), and Jairo Giraldo, President of Sinaltraifrut (a union that represents fruit and agro-industry sector workers). These murders are only the most recent and tragic reminders of the danger experienced by our Colombian brothers and sisters. We call on Congress to insist that the Colombian government immediately launch thorough investigations into these murders and take every step possible to bring the perpetrators to justice. More troubling, the vast majority of those responsible for the over 2,200 murders of trade unionists since 1991 are still at large and face no criminal charges. Even with the recent convictions, the impunity rate remains over 97 percent. Furthermore, human rights organizations have reported that many of the "demobilized" paramilitary members (who were responsible for many of the murders of trade unionists) are forming new criminal organizations and, in many cases, continuing to target union and community activists.

I am enclosing a short summary of the issues that most concern us with regard to labor rights. I urge you to take this information into consideration. Shortly, the AFL-CIO will be sending you detailed fact sheets on each of these issues.

In sum, the Colombian government needs to make considerable changes to fully address our concerns. This will no doubt take some time, and it appears to us highly unlikely that all of the needed changes can happen in the next twelve months. However, we strongly believe that it is worth the wait. Under current conditions, we have little hope that workers, who are simply unable to exercise their basic rights in the existing hostile environment, would benefit from any potential expansion of trade or investment. Furthermore, passing the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement at this time would cost the United States considerable leverage over Colombia to encourage continued progress on human rights.

You have a unique opportunity to stand for the promotion of human rights, against impunity, and for a better life for Colombian workers. Ratifying the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement at this time would not achieve these goals.

Sincerely,

John J. Sweeney
President