Colombia violating FTA labor agreements through union reprisals: US Union

[Judi Lynn]

Colombia violating FTA labor agreements through union reprisals: US Union
Monday, 20 June 2011 12:08
Tom Heyden

Vale Coal Colombia has been violating the Labor Action Plan between the United States and Colombia, a requisite of the pending free trade agreement, through threats and reprisals against unionists in the northern department of Cesar, according to U.S. trade union United Steelworkers (USW).

In a letter to Vale Coal Colombia President Zenaldo Olivera, as well as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and several top U.S. officials, USW's International President Leo W. Gerard lambasted recent retaliations against trade unionists at Vale's El Hatillo coal mine in Cesar department.

Colombian trade union Sintramienergetica informed USW that workers at the mine organized a union in early June but that the company "unlawfully refused to recognize and bargain wEditoith that union" and "immediately proceeded to take reprisals against the workers in retaliation for their union support."

Gerard also pointed out that "the majority of the workers at El Hatillo are not employed directly by the company but rather through so-called 'bolsas de trabajo,'" allowing them to be deprived of "a wide range of rights." This would appear to violate the Labor Action Plan signed by U.S. President Barack Obama and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on April 7, 2011.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17084-colombia-violating-fta-labor-agreements-through-union-reprisals-united-steelworkers.html

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