Send an email to the Mexican authorities today demanding protection for labor rights defenders Enrique Morales and Coral Juarez, their families, and other members of the labor rights organization in Puebla, Centro de Apoyo al Trabajador (CAT), and respect for the right of the Johnson Controls workers to be represented by the union of their free choice.
During President Obama's state of the union address on January 27, 2010 he stated, "[The U.S.] will strengthen our trade relations... with key partners like... Colombia." Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world to be a unionist with more assassinations than the rest of the world combined.
More than 2,700 trade unionists have been murdered in the last two decades with a near total rate of impunity. Urge your Representatives to oppose the U.S. Colombia FTA!
Continuing violence against Colombian trade unionists and widespread impunity for those responsible is a strong argument against a free trade agreement with Colombia in any form. Write your Members of Congress and urge them to oppose the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement. While the agreement was stopped last year, strong efforts are underway pushing for a vote later this year.
A U.S. congressional letter to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom needs
support now from other members of Congress.
The letter, initiated by Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-CA, urges President Colom to
address worker rights violations and violence against trade unionists, issues
that were raised in a CAFTA (Central America Free Trade Agreement) complaint
filed last year by the AFL-CIO and six Guatemalan unions. The letter is
scheduled to be sent end of day July 10; only 33 members have
signed-on as of July 9.
Call the office of your Representative (directly or through
the Capitol switchboard, 202.224.3121). Ask to speak to the aide who handles
foreign policy. Urge that your representative support worker rights and oppose
violence against trade unionists in Guatemala by signing the congressional
letter to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom that has been initiated by Rep.
Linda Sanchez.
Talking Points: Remind the aide that Guatemala is now the
second most dangerous country in Latin America to be a trade unionist. Note
that even the Bush Administration agreed with the substance of the violations
listed in the CAFTA labor complaint filed by the AFL-CIO (available on the
USLEAP website). Add that the letter is scheduled to be closed July 10. Ask the
aide to contact Celeste Drake (202.225.6676 or celeste.drake@mail.house.gov) in
Rep. Sanchez's office to sign on or for more information. If the aide asks
questions you cannot answer, contact USLEAP for additional information at
773.262.6502 or Lupita Aguila (laguila@usleap.org)
or check the USLEAP website for background information.
Take action today to help ensure that the White House uses every means at its disposal to ensure the reinstatement of President Zelaya and the restoration of democracy in Honduras and an end to the violence and repression of the de facto government. Urge your representative to support H.Res. 630 and take a stance condemning the coup.
Six flower workers at the Mongibello flower plantation near Bogotá, Colombia were fired on November 10th because they tried to form a union. Tell the management at Mongibello that this sort of activity is not just unethical, it's illegal.
Continuing violence against Colombian trade unionists and widespread impunity for those responsible is a strong argument against a free trade agreement with Colombia in any form. Write your Members of Congress and urge them to oppose the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement. While the agreement was stopped last year, strong efforts are underway pushing for a vote later this year. 
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