As part of a six-member Solidarity Center delegation, Florida State AFL-CIO Vice President Mike Williams learned about Colombian workers’ constant struggle for social and economic justice—and why U.S workers need to hear their story.
Day 2—With an early start and four meetings scheduled, I was ready for breakfast at 6:30 a.m. We walked to a neighborhood restaurant that had a Colombian breakfast buffet. I recognized the eggs. The mornings are cool and the days seem to be mild. In fact, the hotel does not have heat or air as I am told the temperature remains pleasant year round.
The first meeting was with Aldo Rojas, National President of the public health care workers union (SINDESS) and the Local President. Colombia has universal health care. Rojas reports that privatization has caused a reduction of services and the layoff of 35,000 health care workers in the last five years. The government pays comparable pesos as prior to privatization, but now only 18 percent of the funding is actually reaching the point of service. The private companies, called co-operatives, profit greatly.
The next meeting was held at the national headquarters of the three major unions in Colombia. They are the CUT, the CTC, and the CGT. They are like having three AFL-CIOs. Their focus was issues associated with the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. They look to American labor for assistance in ensuring the Free Trade Agreement resolves such issues as privatization (co-ops), laws prohibiting collective bargaining, threats of violence and murders of labor activists, kidnapping, paramilitary intimidation, and criminal impunity. They served us lunch that seemed to be a large piece of beef jerky.
The third meeting of the day was with two representatives of the Spanish Labor Studies Organization, José Luciano Sanín Vásquez and Héctor Fajardo. They gave a detailed overview of the union and labor situation in Colombia. Again, continuous violations of worker rights and human rights as a result of governmental opposition to labor were a focus. They stressed the importance of the Free Trade Agreement being used as leverage for Colombian workers.
The final meeting was with Yessica Hoyos, the daughter of a murdered labor activist. Since 1986, some 2,500 labor activists have been murdered. Only 82 convictions have taken place. This year, the number of labor activists killed stands at 35. Yessica told the moving story of her father’s life as a worker and labor leader. She then shared the horror of her father’s murder in 2002 by two assailants in the town square with seven bullets to the head. Reports of such occurrences are not that unusual in the Colombian society of today. She formed a group called “sons and daughters” of slain Colombian labor leaders. There are about 600 current members in the country. She is a champion regarding the replacement of impunity with meaningful convictions.
Early flight tomorrow into the coal mining interior. Until next time!
Click on the links below to read the rest of the daily logs:
Day 1, July 20: The Journey Begins
Day 3, July 22: Colombian Miners: “We Are Treated Like Pieces of Coal”
Day 4, July 23: “What Can We Do that Has Some Meaning?”
Day 5, July 24: Meeting the “Forgotten” Workers
Day 6, July 25: “For Union Workers, Our Government Has Abandoned Us!”
Day 7, July 26: Worker Solidarity: “Do Not Forget Juan’s Face!”
Day 8, July 27: “The Most Beautiful Place in the World”
Day 9, July 28: An Informative Political Briefing
Day 10, July 29: “The Circle of Death” and Other Issues
Day 11, July 30: A Not-So-Sweet Homecoming
