Focus: Trade Union Rights in Colombia

Abstract

FOCUS ❐ LATIN AMERICA According to the largest Colombian trade union centre - Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia / Central Union of Workers (CUT) – in 2013 there were 451 instances of anti-union violence – one act every 19 hours, every day of the year. The grim toll of Colombia’s war on trade unions amounts to at least 13,713 violations of the right to life and liberty since 1977 – 3062 assassinations, 233 kidnappings, 342 violent attacks, 6572 violent threats, 1890 forced displacements and 725 arbitrary detentions. Between 2000 and 2010, Colombia accounted for 63 percent of trade unionists murdered globally. The Colombian government has made significant effort to convince the international community they are taking steps to tackle anti-trade union violence, not least as part of their push to agree free trade agreements with the United States and the European Union. The Colombian government will often point to the protection measures provided by the state to many trade unionists - ranging from a bodyguard and a bullet-proof car, to a mobile phone or a bullet proof jacket - but the high impunity rate continues to give a green light for the assassinations to continue. Colombian organisations regularly point out that there often appears to be more time dedicated to investigating false accusations of trade unionist links to guerrilla organisations than to bringing those responsible for carrying out the murders to justice. The Labour Action Plan (LAP), was agreed in 2011 to demonstrate the commitment of the Colombian government to protect workers’ rights prior to the signing of the free trade agreement with the US – it has failed however to stop the killings. In the four years following the implementation of the LAP, more than 100 trade unionists were killed. And whilst the authorities assert that they are acting to apprehend the perpetrators, the evidence does not support this. A 2014 report by the CUT showed that 86.8 percent of assassinations remain in impunity, while 99.9 percent of threats are never investigated. The Colombian Trade Union Movement Trade union membership levels have taken a devastating hit as a direct result of the anti-union violence, anti-trade union laws and policies and massive labour market changes. In spite of these difficulties, the union movement continues to play an active role in Colombia: in 2013 and 2014, together with social organisations from across the country, the trade unions were involved in weeks of strikes and disruptions across Colombia in response to the devastating impact of international free trade agreements. Trade Union Rights in Colombia According to the largest Colombian trade union centre, in 2013 there were 451 instances of antiunion violence – one act every 19 hours INTERNATIONAL union rights Page 16 Volume 23 Issue 1 2016 T he trade union movement and the vast majority of social organisations in Colombia are currently giving their support to peace processes on-going between the government and the two left-wing guerrilla organisations, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia / Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional / National Liberation Army (ELN). There is hope that, if peace deals are reached that include measures for addressing the deep-rooted social and political inequalities, then an important step will have been taken towards improving the situation for workers, trade unionists and for all of those fighting for social transformation in Colombia. There are however considerable fears that the on-going lack of guarantees for political activists, including trade unionists, will provide a considerable obstacle to peace becoming a reality. Colombia has for several decades been the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist. Every year numerous union leaders, union activists and union members are assassinated . Over 3000 trade unionists have been murdered since the mid-1970s, and nobody has been brought to justice in the vast majority of the cases. Over recent years, in spite of opening up of the peace talks and a more accepting discourse from Colombian government officials, the murders have not ceased. A recent Justice for Colombia report documented 534 political activists killed between 2011 and 2015 – this included 134 trade unionists. In addition to the violence, Colombia has some of the...