IAM Remains Strongly Opposed to Colombia FTA
April 7, 2011
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The IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger today reaffirmed the IAM’s opposition to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
“The Obama administration’s latest efforts to secure passage of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement with a side agreement referred to as an ‘action plan’ is simply unacceptable,” said Buffenbarger. “While details of the plan have yet to be unveiled, summaries indicate that it provides no assurance that the murders of trade unionists in Colombia will stop.”
Over the past 25 years, 2,850 trade unionists were murdered in Colombia. In 2010, 51 trade unionists in Colombia were murdered, an increase over 2009. Just last week, two more unionists were murdered, indicating Colombia’s lack of resolve to end the violence.
“We will continue to work with the Colombian trade unions and the growing coalition of unions in the U.S. who are strongly opposed to the Colombia FTA,” said Buffenbarger. “The IAM is committed to fighting for a new model of trade agreements—one that is based on fairness and that makes workers and the communities where they live the priority.”
Take action now! Click here to tell your Representative and Senators the proposed FTA is a betrayal of fundamental human rights, and to vote “No” on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
