CAFTA Complaint Might Affect Ongoing Colombia Standoff

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressdaily/cda_20080424_9226.php

Thu. Apr. 24, 2008

The AFL-CIO Wednesday filed the first legal complaint with the Labor Department over the treatment of workers in Guatemala, alleging violations of the labor chapter of the Central America Free Trade Agreement, which Congress passed in 2005.

Along with six Guatemalan unions, the group said their complaint lays out five separate cases where the Guatemalan government has failed to protect worker rights or stop violence against union officials.

Since the agreement took effect in July 2006, “the level of violence against trade unionists increased markedly,” workers are prevented from joining unions or bargaining collectively, and no serious investigations have taken place in the case of two murders, the complaint says.

The AFL-CIO announced its move as Congress and the Bush administration are embroiled in a fight over the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which the labor group opposes because of continued violence in that country against union officials. “Guatemalan workers are being targeted for their union activity,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “Without the freedom from fear to join unions and bargain collectively, how can we expect any workers to benefit from a trade agreement?”

The complaint urges the Bush administration to formally initiate dispute-settlement proceedings, and require the Guatemalan government to live up to promises made during the CAFTA debate to improve its justice system and prosecute those guilty of crimes against workers.

Susan Aaronson, an associate professor of international affairs at George Washington University, said the Labor Department should comply and initiate formal proceedings. “In so doing, it will send important signals to congressional Democrats and others, who are deeply concerned about the Bush administration’s commitment to labor rights vis-a-vis the Colombia Free Trade Agreement,” Aaronson said.

FULL story at link.