MONDAY, AUGUST 08, 2011
Tell Congress: Oppose Colombia Trade Agreement! (August 8, 2011)
[Colombians protest murder of 900 unionists since 2000. Photo: Amnesty International]
On Oct. 12, Congress passed the Colombia, Korea, and Panama Free Trade Agreements. To see how your member of Congress voted, go to: http://www.citizenstrade.org
Call your US Representative and tell him or her to vote NO on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement! Call the local office or use the Capitol Switchboard number at: (202) 224-3121.
In recent days letters from labor and human rights organizations have been sent to members of the US Congress demanding a rejection of the free trade agreement with Colombia. If you have not written or called, the time is NOW!
The August 4th letter from Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, cites the continuing campaign of terror against trade unionists in Colombia. Trumka says that:
"Colombia is STILL the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist. This tragic fact has not changed in recent years despite increased international scrutiny on Colombia associated with trade agreements negotiated with [several nations]. The 51 trade unionists killed in 2010 represented an INCREASE over the 2009 figure. Seventeen have been killed so far in 2011, including 10 just since the announcement of a "Labor Action Plan," on April 7, 2011. There are no doubt important changes taking place in Colombia. The Santos Administration has abandoned the heated, anti-union rhetoric of the Uribe Administration.... However, Colombia's past and present circumstances have contributed to deep social rifts and dysfuction that cannot be addressed hastily. Congress should ... wait for clear and convincing evidence... that the facts on the ground have changed before acting on the Colombia Trade Agreement."
To read the entire letter, go here.
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