Published On: Tue, Apr 2nd, 2013

The day I met Colombia´s trade unions boss

Chris Osborne and Joulio Roberto Gomez 3.1.12

I am a keen trade unionist so I wanted to see how Colombian trade unions work and what they struggle against.

A few weeks ago, I met Julio Roberto Gomez, President of the (loosely translated) General Confederation of Trade Unions of Colombia (CGT), an organization set up in 1971 to promote the work of Colombia´s embattled unions.

After our initial introductions I told Julio Roberto that I was a long term member of the Australian trade union movement. I explained the many benefits Australian workers have won from employers over the years including award wages, paid holidays and sick leave, and superannuation paid by employers. I sensed he was quite amazed at this.

By contrast, Julio Roberto told me of the plight of Colombian workers, mentioning the recent post-Christmas offer by the Santos government of a 4% wage rise for workers. This, he said, was wholly inadequate for his members.

But Colombian trades unions have even worse to contend with.

I expressed to Señor Gomez my sadness at the recent assassinations of trade union operatives, among them the December murder of Milton Parra Rivas, an electrician at Termotécnica Coindustrial SA, a subcontractor of Spanish-based CEPSA, in the municipality of Puerto Gaitan.

Together we lamented the intimidation and violence against Colombian trade union members.

Although I noted the decline in murders of trade union members over the past 10 years, Julio Roberto rightly rebuked me, stating that 1 murder was 1 too many. I agreed.

One of the fascinating objectives of the CGT is the emergence of an official alliance between the trade union body and community-based groups. Unions are teaming up with indigenous associations, local cultural, political or religious groups, community action boards, parent groups, farmers, afro-colombians, artisans, and others.

From now on all can become members of the CGT. In other words, the CGT is a “social community alliance” bringing together groups who have a common purpose in lifting the living standards and conditions of ordinary Colombians.

I reflected that in this is something that the Australian trade union movement should seriously consider – particularly as their membership continues to dwindle.

As we continued our dialog and both exchanged common principles and observations, and I expressed my solidarity with the plight of Colombian workers, Julio Roberto relaxed. We were on the same side, I sensed.

When we were leaving Julio Roberto presented me with the latest CGT publications and we warmly shook hands and bid our farewells. He extended an invitation to me on my next visit to Colombia to take me to some workplaces to observe conditions for myself and talk to workers myself. I will of course take this offer up at the earliest opportunity.

That night on one of the main Bogota TV stations I watched Julio Roberto castigate the Government over its lowly offer of a 4% wage rise to Colombian workers. Good on him.

My personal observations of Julio Roberto was that of a genuine advocate for the rights of workers and someone working very hard to improve the lives of Colombians while facing a tough environment where trade union activists are intimidated and some murdered for exercising what we in Australia take for granted.

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