Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
Death Threats a Fact of Life for Colombian Unions: District 1 Solidarity Fund Sponsors Activist's U.
"My union president was assassinated with seven bullets in front of the workers," Colombian trade unionist Hector Giraldo told CWA Local 1180 members. "Then they said they were going to kill me."
Giraldo is one of 20 endangered Colombian union leaders spending time in the United States as part of a sanctuary program run by the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center. Sponsored by CWA's Eduardo Diaz Union-to-Union Solidarity Fund, he has told thousands of union members and others about the horrors union organizers face in his country.
"This is what our Union-to-Union Fund is all about," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, "making sure these workers' stories are heard and helping them to make a stand in every segment of the global economy."
Convention Mandate
Giraldo, treasurer of FENAANSITRAP, a federation of public sector unions in Colombia, part of the larger CUT (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores), applauded the resolution passed at the CWA's 2002 convention, which brought to light the misuse of tax-payer dollars to finance "Plan Colombia," a U.S. aid plan to combat the sale and exportation of illicit drugs from that country.
"Our union is fighting for economic and social rights and against free trade agreements," Giraldo told audiences throughout New York and New England.
He explained how Colombian paramilitary units closely aligned with the government and multinational corporations function as a force of terror to get workers and communities to accept the privatization and austerity measures supported by the government, employers and the International Monetary Fund.
"We are fighting (the current regime) because it restricts our rights, threatens democracy, increases unemployment and increases poverty," he said. "Because we are fighting it, we are targets of paramilitary violence."
Since 1985 more than 3,800 union members in Colombia have been killed. In 2001 there were 169 assassinations of union workers, 30 attempted assassinations, 79 union members disappeared and over 400 reported threats and intimidation.
During 2002 about 500 U.S. military "advisers" served in Colombia, and U.S. aid to Plan Colombia amounted to $1.5 million a day. President Bush is seeking an additional $570 million for Plan Colombia this year.
District 1 Members Act
Determined to help protect union members from the violence and to expand awareness of the truth of Plan Colombia, local leaders and staff at the District 1 conference in Atlantic City last year formed the District 1 Solidarity Committee.
Through CWA's solidarity fund, they arranged to bring Giraldo to the United States. Locals raised more than $8,000, which allowed Giraldo to spend six weeks in training at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies near Washington, D.C., to live six months in Boston and to use his Spanish language skills to assist in the Justice for Janitors campaign.
About half the money raised so far has been sent to CUT to pay for educational and recruitment materials including a film.
One Strong Voice
Giraldo, who has been active in public employee bargaining in the Colombian state of Antioquia, "has done tremendous work in helping educate union members and the public as to what's wrong with U.S. policy in Colombia," said CWA Representative Steve Early, who helped arrange Giraldo's speaking tour.
In addition to speeches at a District 1 conference and to CWA locals, Giraldo has addressed the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Convention and central labor council meetings throughout New England. He has spoken at Harvard and Boston College and to high school Spanish classes.
Giraldo has also met with the editorial board of the Boston Globe and with Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), to persuade them to vote against additional funds for Plan Colombia.
In March, with the other union members brought to the United States by the AFL-CIO, Giraldo will return to Colombia, where his wife and children have also received death threats.
"Many members of this group - particularly those who have campaigned against Plan Colombia - may soon be at risk again when they resume trade union work," Giraldo said.
He asked that CWA members:
Giraldo is one of 20 endangered Colombian union leaders spending time in the United States as part of a sanctuary program run by the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center. Sponsored by CWA's Eduardo Diaz Union-to-Union Solidarity Fund, he has told thousands of union members and others about the horrors union organizers face in his country.
"This is what our Union-to-Union Fund is all about," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen, "making sure these workers' stories are heard and helping them to make a stand in every segment of the global economy."
Convention Mandate
Giraldo, treasurer of FENAANSITRAP, a federation of public sector unions in Colombia, part of the larger CUT (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores), applauded the resolution passed at the CWA's 2002 convention, which brought to light the misuse of tax-payer dollars to finance "Plan Colombia," a U.S. aid plan to combat the sale and exportation of illicit drugs from that country.
"Our union is fighting for economic and social rights and against free trade agreements," Giraldo told audiences throughout New York and New England.
He explained how Colombian paramilitary units closely aligned with the government and multinational corporations function as a force of terror to get workers and communities to accept the privatization and austerity measures supported by the government, employers and the International Monetary Fund.
"We are fighting (the current regime) because it restricts our rights, threatens democracy, increases unemployment and increases poverty," he said. "Because we are fighting it, we are targets of paramilitary violence."
Since 1985 more than 3,800 union members in Colombia have been killed. In 2001 there were 169 assassinations of union workers, 30 attempted assassinations, 79 union members disappeared and over 400 reported threats and intimidation.
During 2002 about 500 U.S. military "advisers" served in Colombia, and U.S. aid to Plan Colombia amounted to $1.5 million a day. President Bush is seeking an additional $570 million for Plan Colombia this year.
District 1 Members Act
Determined to help protect union members from the violence and to expand awareness of the truth of Plan Colombia, local leaders and staff at the District 1 conference in Atlantic City last year formed the District 1 Solidarity Committee.
Through CWA's solidarity fund, they arranged to bring Giraldo to the United States. Locals raised more than $8,000, which allowed Giraldo to spend six weeks in training at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies near Washington, D.C., to live six months in Boston and to use his Spanish language skills to assist in the Justice for Janitors campaign.
About half the money raised so far has been sent to CUT to pay for educational and recruitment materials including a film.
One Strong Voice
Giraldo, who has been active in public employee bargaining in the Colombian state of Antioquia, "has done tremendous work in helping educate union members and the public as to what's wrong with U.S. policy in Colombia," said CWA Representative Steve Early, who helped arrange Giraldo's speaking tour.
In addition to speeches at a District 1 conference and to CWA locals, Giraldo has addressed the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Convention and central labor council meetings throughout New England. He has spoken at Harvard and Boston College and to high school Spanish classes.
Giraldo has also met with the editorial board of the Boston Globe and with Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), to persuade them to vote against additional funds for Plan Colombia.
In March, with the other union members brought to the United States by the AFL-CIO, Giraldo will return to Colombia, where his wife and children have also received death threats.
"Many members of this group - particularly those who have campaigned against Plan Colombia - may soon be at risk again when they resume trade union work," Giraldo said.
He asked that CWA members:
- Join with the AFL-CIO in applying political pressure on the State Department to assist in the workers' safe return and reintegration into Colombian society.
- Call their senators and representatives and urge them to oppose additional funding for Plan Colombia.
- Contribute to the Eduardo Diaz Union-to-Union Solidarity Fund. Money raised next year will aid additional CUT education and organizing groups. Send checks payable to CWA/Union-to-Union to CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling, 501 3rd St., N.W., Washington, DC 20001.