Hoffa: Colombia's Labor Rights Record is Still of Great Concern

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa said today’s House committee hearing on violence against labor leaders in Colombia confirmed what we already know about conditions in that country.

Compelling testimony was given by people intimately familiar with the bloodshed in Colombia before the House Committee on Education and Labor, chaired by Democratic California Rep. George Miller.

“The testimony given today confirmed that union leaders and their families in Colombia continue to be threatened and killed,” Hoffa said. “Not enough is being done to stop this.

“Some claim that the labor rights situation in Colombia has improved dramatically and that a trade deal should be passed as some kind of reward,” he said. “The witnesses today confirmed there is still a long way to go. Colombia appears to be years away from ending violence and impunity. 

“Not until this is addressed should we even begin to talk about the Colombia trade deal. From our perspective, it’s the same recycled Bush “free trade” model that does not work for U.S. workers or Colombian workers, or any workers for that matter.

“I commend Chairman Miller for his leadership in shining light to the labor rights situation in Colombia.  The Teamsters continue to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Colombia.”

Though some claim the violence against union activists is under control, data shows that killings actually increased in 2008.  Also, human rights advocates and others have been critical of Colombia’s delays to investigate and prosecute the approximately 2,700 killings of labor union leaders over the past two decades.

The witnesses before the committee were Yessika Hoyos, daughter of slain labor union leader Jorge Dario Hoyos; Maria McFarland, Latin America specialist, Human Rights Watch; Jose Nirio Sanchez, former Colombian special court judge for labor-homicide cases; and Jose Luciano Sanin, director, Escuela Nacional Sindical (National Labor School), a leading Colombian labor think-tank; and James Roberts, research fellow, Heritage Foundation's Center for International Trade and Economics.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.