More Union members killed in Colombia than anywhere else in the world
By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Forty-eight Colombian trade unionists were murdered in 2009, according to a report released Wednesday by the International Trade Union Confederation.
In its annual survey for 2009, the organization says that Colombia was the country where the most trade union members were killed, adding that of the 48 that were murdered 27 were union leaders and five were women.
The ITUC says the total number of union members killed around the world was 101. Apart from the 48 union member murders in Colombia, there were 16 in Guatemala, 12 in Honduras, 6 in Mexico, 6 in Bangladesh and 4 in Brazil.
“Colombia was yet again the country where standing up for fundamental rights of workers is more likely than anywhere else to mean a death sentence, despite the Colombian government’s public relations campaign to the contrary.” said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.
The Colombian government says the country has taken huge steps in the protection of union members, claiming that in 2002 196 union members were killed in the country, while in 2009, the government listed only 28 union member assassinations.
Trade union associations in Colombia however, say 47 union members were killed last year and they complain that union members are being intimidated at their places of work and are being forced to quit their jobs, while the government makes laws that reduce social benefits like health care, overtime pay, vacation time and pension funds.
In 2009, the National Syndical School, a think tank on union issues, registered 18 assasination attempts with explosives, 412 death threats, 129 forced relocations of union members, 53 cases of harassment against union members and 34 arbitrary detentions.
The government on the other hand says that its security policies have helped to increase union activity wthin the country, claiming that in 2002 Colombia had 1,350 unions, while there are now 2,133.
You must be logged in to post comments.
Sign in or create an account to continue.
-
- September 8, 2010 Blog Posts
Colombian Culture
General Blog
-
- September 8, 2010 Blog Posts
Colombian Culture
General Blog
-
- September 6, 2010 Blog Posts
Colombian Culture
General Blog
WoW Spotlight
-
- September 20, 2010
-
Fans of Cuban musicians the Buena Vista Social Club will be excited to hear that one of their most popular members, Omara Portuondo, will be giving a concert in Bogotá on October 1st.
"Feeling's Girlfriend" and "The Voice of Cuba" are just two of the nicknames given to the singer, who has been performing for over fifty years.
WoW News
-
- September 20, 2010
U.S. President Barack Obama will meet his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos for the first time on September 24th in New York, at a United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The two leaders plan to have a conversation about the future relationship between the two countries.