We demand guarantees for USO’s trade union activities in Colombia20 December, 2013The Coordinating Committee for Unity in the Mining and Energy Sector (Coordinadora para la Unidad del Sector Minero Energético, CUSME) is calling for the government to guarantee that the oil workers’ union (Unión Sindical Obrera, USO) will be able to carry out its trade union activities free from interference; release detained workers; withdraw arrest warrants; and close the files on 39 legal cases brought against USO members, 34 of which concern protests by workers and the community in the Pacific Rubiales “Banana Republic” in Meta.
Three trade union leaders detained in Colombia12 December, 2013On 4 December, Campo Elías Ortiz, a Colombian trade union, social and political activist as well as member of Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), was arrested. Merely a few hours later, two more members of USO, Jose Dilio Naranjo and Héctor Sánchez, were also detained. All three are employed by Pacific Rubiales, in the department of Meta.
President of the CUT in Caldas, Colombia, escapes attempt on his life20 November, 2013IndustriALL Global Union condemns the attack on Óscar Arturo Orozco, president of the Caldas branch of the union central CUT and the electrical workers’ union SINTRAELECOL and calls on its affiliates to take solidarity action.
Persecution of trade unions continues in Colombia: USO leader detained14 November, 2013Darío Cárdenas Pachón, vice-president of the oil workers’ union, Union Sindical Obrera (USO) in Villavicencio, in the department of Meta, Colombia, was detained in the department on 2 November in response to a court order issued by the first criminal court, which accuses him, without foundation, of obstruction of the public highway, damage to natural resources and aggravated damage to private property.
IndustriALL repudiates killing of Colombian peasant leader8 November, 2013On Saturday, 2 November between 5pm and 6pm, César García was killed by a shot to the head when arriving at his farm at La Vereda la Cajón la Leona in the municipality of Cajamarca. Garciá was a well-known opponent of the mega gold mining project La Colosa. The main investor is Anglogold Ashanti.
Colombia Actions15 October, 2013The Colombian National Centres CUT, CTC and CGT, called actions and rallies on 7 October to mark the World Day for Decent Work, workers from the Workers’ Trade Union attended with the IndustriALL f
Concern in the Netherlands about conditions in Colombian coal mines10 October, 2013More than half of the coal used in the Netherlands is imported from Colombia. Concerns have emerged about the situation in the Colombian coal industry, where activists and peasants are threatened and murdered, working conditions are precarious and trade union rights are violated.
Colombia Actions8 October, 2013The Global Glass Alliance of Unions at Owens Illinois which includes: United Steelworkers (USW), Unite of the UK and Ireland, Glass Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union
Unity and solidarity lead to USO victory in Colombia 27 September, 2013The Unión Obrera Sindical (USO), a Columbian trade union affiliated to IndustriALL, has just ended a 72 hour strike at the Cartagena refinery expansion project. The dispute ended on 23 September after a new collective agreement was signed.
Unions in Colombia show exemplary unity17 September, 2013Members of IndustriALL’s mining and energy union affiliates in Colombia have announced that: “at a time when the country is going through an economic, political and social crisis, we have decided to take a new initiative to promote unity”.
