Why Reward Murderers? Passing an FTA with Colombia Says, “Go Ahead and Kill Union Organizers.”

The following is a statement from the Campaign for Labor Rights.

An article in yesterday’s Washington Post reports that Congress and the Bush administration are nearing agreement on trade deals with Colombia, Peru and Panama. Negotiations between the U.S. Trade Representative and the House Ways and Means Committee have been going on for several months. Since the Democrats took control of Congress last November, approval of the agreements with Colombia and Peru has seemed less likely. This is due in large part to labor and environmental concerns. These are serious concerns, though not the only ones.
Violence against unionists in Colombia is a daily occurrence, with more than 2000 union organizers having been murdered since 1991.

To be a union organizer in Colombia is to risk your life. To struggle for better working conditions is to put your family in danger. Speaking out almost guarantees that you will be silenced.

Yet speak out they do. Refusing to be intimidated, refusing to stay silent in the face of threats and refusing to stop organizing even as their friends and fellow organizers are gunned down, trade unionists in Colombia continue to demand their basic rights.

What are we saying if we allow the approval of an agreement that lacks any meaningful labor provisions with a government that has failed to respond to the violence directed at union organizers?

Call your congressperson today and demand that they
vote “No” on the Colombia FTA!!

Besides labor there are other concerns with the Colombia and Peru FTAs. These agreements will push farmers and indigenous peoples off their land, contribute to higher levels of poverty and unemployment, increase coca production (leading to higher drug availability) and raise levels of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

Call Congress today and let your voice be heard on this issue. The number for the Congressional switchboard is (202) 224-3121. If your member of Congress is on the House Ways and Means Committee it is vitally important that you call today. Below are the members of that committee:

Charles B. Rangel, NY Chairman
Jim McCrery, LA
Wally Herger, CA
Dave Camp, MI
Jim Ramstad, MN
Sam Johnson, TX
Phil English, PA
Jerry Weller, IL
Kenny C. Hulshof, MO
Ron Lewis, KY
Kevin Brady, TX
Thomas M. Reynolds, NY
Paul Ryan, WI
Eric Cantor, VA
John Linder, GA
Devin Nunes, CA
Pat Tiberi, OH
Jon Porter, NV
Fortney Pete Stark, CA
Sander M. Levin, MI
Jim McDermott, WA
John Lewis, GA
Richard E. Neal, MA
Michael R. McNulty, NY
John S. Tanner, TN
Xavier Becerra, CA
Lloyd Doggett, TX
Earl Pomeroy, ND
Stephanie Tubbs Jones, OH
Mike Thompson, CA
John B. Larson, CT
Rahm Emanuel, IL
Earl Blumenauer, OR
Ron Kind, WI
Bill Pascrell Jr. NJ
Shelley Berkley, NV
Joseph Crowley, NY
Chris Van Hollen, MD
Kendrick B. Meek, FL
Allyson Y. Schwartz, PA
Artur Davis, AL

If you go to Congress.org you can find out more about your Congressperson, send them an email or fax and get local contact information. Please take the time to contact them today. It is vitally important that we let them know that the agreements with Peru and Colombia are not beneficial for anyone, except those seeking to further exploit workers, indigenous people and the environment.
Please share this alert with friends and family.

Email address: clr@clrlabor.org
Visit: http://www.clrlabor.org
Respect Worker Rights!!