The North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee Blog

Drummond case shows danger facing Colombian unions

16 Nov 2006 19:51:49 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Hugh Bronstein

LA LOMA, Colombia, Nov 16 (Reuters) - A labor union leader at the =
U.S.-owned Drummond coal mine was pulled off a bus in northern Colombia =
and shot to death by masked right-wing gunmen one March evening in 2001, =
according to court papers accusing the company of ordering the killing.

The body of Valmore Locarno was displayed to the other passengers as a =
warning about what happens to labor activists in this war-twisted =
country where leftist guerrillas are pitted against right-wing =
paramilitaries. The union's No. 2, Victor Orcasita, was thrown into a =
pickup truck and killed later.

"The paramilitaries boarded the bus and asked for Locarno and Orcasita =
by name, saying that these two had a problem with Drummond," a court =
document says.

The U.S. federal lawsuit filed in Drummond's home state of Alabama has =
gained attention in Europe, where power companies DONG of Denmark and =
Essent of the Netherlands said last week they halted new coal purchases =
from the company. Both are minor clients.

The case highlights the dangers faced by workers in Colombia and the =
problems faced by multinational companies working in an often lawless =
country where illegal armed groups control wide swathes of territory.

Drummond on Thursday denied the accusations in the suit.

"We are under a restricted comment directive from the court regarding =
the lawsuit in question," a Drummond official said. "While we cannot =
comment on specifics, we strongly deny the accusations and look forward =
to evidence being heard with complete exoneration."

More than 4,000 Colombian union leaders have been assassinated since =
1986, according to the U.S. State Department, a figure it says accounts =
for most union murders in the world.

"Local managers working for transnational companies have been free to =
take illegal steps against unions because authorities look the other =
way," said Mauricio Romero, a political commentator and paramilitary =
expert.

"They have been known to contract armed groups to kill union leaders in =
order to keep workers quiet about wages and other conditions," Romero =
said. "These cases don't go to court in Colombia because witnesses would =
also be threatened."

The killings, which Romero said are carried out mostly by paramilitaries =
and state security forces, have fallen over the last four years under =
President Alvaro Uribe, popular for his tough, U.S.-backed security =
policies.

Companies such as Coca-Cola  and British Petroleum  have =
faced criticisms from human rights groups over labor issues. Chiquita =
Brands International  pulled out of the country after admitting =
it had paid an illegal militia for protection.

UNION RISKS

Locarno and Orcasita were in contract talks, which had bogged down over =
wages and workplace safety, with Drummond when they were killed. The =
suit on behalf of their families and that of another Drummond mine union =
chief killed later in 2001 was filed the following year by the United =
Steelworkers of America.

"Drummond is knowingly engaged in an ongoing campaign of terror against =
trade unionists in Colombia," according to the complaint in U.S. =
District Court in Birmingham, Alabama.

More than 31,000 paramilitaries have handed over their guns in exchange =
for benefits including reduced jail terms under Uribe. But officials say =
many have formed new crime gangs.

"The security situation is worrying. I see men following me in pickup =
trucks and on motorbikes," said Raul Sosa, the union's current =
president.

He lives near the open pit mine in La Loma, a dusty town where traffic =
is often slowed by cattle crossing the roads and neighborhood football =
games played by barefoot children are interrupted by wondering pigs.

In October 2001, Locarno's replacement as union chief Gustavo Soler was =
also pulled off a bus and shot dead. His family had pleaded with him not =
to accept the presidency.

"But Gustavo refused to let the union die," said someone who knew him =
but requested anonymity. "He defended that choice to the end."

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North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee  

posted by Alan  # 7:51 PM