1. COMISION COLOMBIANA DE JURISTAS
Organización no gubernamental con status consultivo ante la ONU
Filial de la Comisión Andina de Juristas (Lima) y de la Comisión Internacional de Juristas (Ginebra).
COLOMBIA’S POLICY ON TRADE UNION FREEDOM: A SERIOUS CASE BEFORE THE
ILO
The International Labor Organization (ILO) meets every year, in the month of June, to monitor
the most serious cases of violations of trade union freedom in the world in the framework of the
International Labor Conference. To that end, in one of the ILO’s bodies, the Standards
Commission, delegates of workers and employers draw up a list of 25 cases in which the
respective governments must give explanations regarding compliance with their international
obligations in that regard.
This year, Colombia is once again on the list of cases of extreme concern due to the violations to
the rights to life, freedom, and integrity of union members, as well as the persistent impunity and
the grave obstacles to trade union freedom. The Colombian government has disseminated the
information that Colombia’s inclusion on the list is due to the fact that the ILO considers it a
“case in progress.” In previous years, the Standards Commission has included "cases in
progress,” that is, cases in which it is checked if progress has taken place or not. There is no
merit in a country being included among “cases in progress,” since in any case the fact of being
on the list means that the ILO harbors special concerns with regard to that specific country. This
year the ILO has decided not to include any “cases in progress” and to leave room for taking
measures regarding those 25 governments that are worthy of particular concern on the part of the
ILO – including that of Colombia.
As a result, the Colombian government has given false information to the different news media
regarding this situation. The violations in Colombia have never been described as a case in
progress. On the contrary, the ILO insists on treating the various topics and demanding
compliance. With regard to Colombia, the sources of concern are many – such as the persistent
obstruction and even persecution against the forming and operation of unions, the limitations put
on collective bargaining, the impossibility of holding strikes, the assassination of more than 18
union members in the course of the current year, or the discovery of an illegal spying operation
from the Presidency of the Republic through its intelligence apparatus (the Administrative
Security Department – DAS).
For these reasons, on Monday, June 8, at 10 a.m. in Geneva (Switzerland), an important debate
will take place in which the government, the employers and the workers will discuss the policies
and practices of the government relating to labor rights in the country. It is to be hoped that after
this debate, the ILO will be even more conscious than it already is about the need for the
Colombian government to adopt policies and practices geared toward the rights of the workers
and the strengthening of the union movement in Colombia.
Colombian Commission of Jurists
June 6, 2009
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Personería jurídica: resolución 1060, Agosto de 1988, Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá.
Calle 72 No. 12-65 piso 7 Tels.: (571) 3768200 Fax: 3768230
Email : ccj@col.net.co Apartado Aéreo 58533 Bogotá, Colombia