Columbian Unions

On April 6th the US and Columbia reached a free trade pact which will raise US exports to Columbia by more than $1 million.


The deal came, "after the Colombians agreed to offer greater protections for workers and union leaders, an area of key concern for the U.S."


"The key U.S. concerns in negotiating the Colombia pact focused on high rates of violence against Colombian labor union leaders and insufficient protections for workers' rights. Under the new agreement, the Colombian government will phase in a series of measures throughout the year aimed at increasing protections for labor.

The measures include:

— Expanding by April 22 the scope of existing protections to help union leaders protect labor activists, workers trying to join unions, and former union activists who may be threatened because of past activities.

— Reforming Colombia's criminal code by June 15 to criminalize and penalize actions or threats that could limit workers' rights, including the right to organize.

—Directing Colombia's National Police to assign 95 full-time investigators to support prosecutors handling cases involving crimes against union members by December."


So the US government fights for workers' right to organize and join a union... as long as they're in Columbia.