Nestle worker and union activist killed by paramilitary in western Colombia

[Judi Lynn]

Nestle worker and union activist killed by paramilitary in western Colombia
posted by Philipp Zwehl
Nov 12, 2013



A Nestle worker and activist of the food union Sinaltrainal has been killed on Saturday in suspected paramilitary attack in the town of Bugalagrande in western Colombia, according to media and human rights groups.

Oscar Lopez, who worked for Nestle for more than 25 years, was killed in a bar by unknown gunmen on Saturday night. Lopez, as an active member of the union, had been involved in the long lasting dispute about union rights between Nestle and Sinaltrainal.

In the protest, some activists had started a hunger strike in October, which was paused momentarily because of threats, but resumed on November 5th.

Last Friday, several activists received threatening text messages saying, “you still are bothering Nestle, now there will be no more mercy! We are going to chop you up. Death to all communists of Sinaltrainal!”

More:
http://colombiareports.co/nestle-worker-union-activist-killed-receiving-threats-paramilitary-western-colombia/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Nestlé Factory Worker Shot Dead in Colombia

Nestlé Factory Worker Shot Dead in Colombia
By John Revill and
Dan Molinski

~ snip ~

The killing of the union member comes two weeks after two U.S. lawmakers released a report that said most antiunion violence continues to go unpunished in Colombia, despite a Labor Action Plan agreed to in 2011 between Colombia and the U.S. as part of the Free Trade Agreement that took effect last year. The plan was supposed to improve conditions and rights for workers in Colombia, one of the world's most dangerous places for union members.

At least 413 threats against union members were documented and 22 trade unionists "were murdered for their union involvement in 2012," said the report from U.S. Representatives George Miller of California and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts to the congressional Monitoring Group on Labor Rights in Colombia.

MultiWatch, a Swiss human-rights group that focuses on Swiss multinationals, says 15 Nestlé workers have been killed in Colombia, including Mr. López. Nestlé acknowledges that seven unionized workers have been killed, as well as several white-collar employees.

~ snip ~

Nestlé employs 2,000 people in Colombia. It makes La Lechera condensed milk as well as Nescafé, Milo and Maggi culinary products at the Bugalagrande factory.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303914304579192170207810230