Since its creation in 1986 the CUT (The Central Union of Workers, the Colombian equivalent of the Trade Union Congress) has had over 3000 of its members assassinated, thousands forcibly displaced, hundreds exiled, and countless members have been kidnapped, tortured and threatened.
Today, there is a worrying relationship between labour laws and criminal laws, as the trade union movement is actively persecuted. The government uses the state apparatus to wage an undeclared war against social movements, and has criminalized all forms of popular protest.
Sintraemcali (Sindicato de Trabajadores de las Empresas Municipales de Cali - the Municipal Workers' Union of Cali), a War on Want partner organisation, is a union with a long history of defending workers' rights. They have been involved in educational training, research and lobbying of local, national and international organizations.
Over the last few years, Sintraemcali has been subjected to a terrifying attack on the rights of its members and leaders: 18 people have been assassinated in the last decade, 3 exiled, several abducted, and two arrested, imprisoned and charged with terrorism (the charges were later dropped due to lack of evidence). The entire leadership of the union now require 24-hour bodyguards for protection.
War on Want and Sintraemcali strive to improve workers' and human rights in the Southwest of Colombia by increasing the capacity of trade union and social organisations to defend human rights. The activities focus on Human Rights courses and workshops, research by local leaders on rights violations, and national and international advocacy, engaging UK trade unionists.
| Sintraemcali's achievements |
- Human rights courses for trade unionists, community and peasant leaders, students, and black and indigenous community leaders have been widely implemented to empower people to defend their rights
- Research into the conflict, privatisation, and the impunity perpetrators of violence enjoy has been carried out and the results widely disseminated
- Lobbying the government to provide protection to trade unionists and social activists, and to adhere to the human rights conventions they have signed
- Exchanges with representatives of trade unions, social movements and political figures have increased public awareness internationally of the human rights situation in Colombia
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| The Facts |
- In the last decade, 1535 people have been assassinated as a result of their involvement in trade union activity
- 160 trade union members were murdered in the last year alone
- Teachers' unions are most at risk, although nearly all public sector unions are targeted
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 |  | Mayday Colombia
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