The North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee Blog
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Saturday, January 27, 2007
letter to the President of El Cerrejón
from: Debbie K
Leon Teicher
President, El Cerrejón
Riohacha, La Guajira
Colombia
January 26, 2007
Dear Mr. Teicher,
I am writing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In Nova Scotia we use approximately 18% of the electricity generated by the coal purchased from your El Cerrejón coal mine in the La Guajira, Colombia.
from: Debbie K
Leon Teicher
President, El Cerrejón
Riohacha, La Guajira
Colombia
January 26, 2007
Dear Mr. Teicher,
I am writing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In Nova Scotia we use approximately 18% of the electricity generated by the coal purchased from your El Cerrejón coal mine in the La Guajira, Colombia.
In November, I recently learned of the letter from NB Power who wrote you urging your company to negotiate in good faith with the National coal Workers' Union (SINTRACARBÓN). I, along with many others in Nova Scotia, have been writing to NS Power asking this company to write you and urge you to negotiate in good faith and to demand that the human rights violations to the communities affected by the Mine are stopped, as well, for your Mine to relocate the communities and give these communities back their self-respect and dignity.
I attended the Nova Scotia Utility Review Board on Thursday Jan. 26th to show my support to the many people who made presentations to the URB to stop the increase to NS Power and to pressure this company to not stand for the human rights violations by El Cerrejón. The communities must be fully compensated including total community relocation and the workers provided a fair, decent and worthy Collective Agreement.
I have read recent reports indicating that the union is considering a strike vote due to the lack of agreement with your company's management with regard to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2007-2009. While I understand that some very good progress has been made to reaching an agreement on several issues, there are still many issues yet to be addressed to the satisfaction of the workers and communities. I commend you on resolving some of the issues, but I strongly urge you to complete the negotiations with the Union and settle any possible upcoming strike and to give back to the affected communities.
It was to many Nova Scotians delight, that the union had included demands for several mine affected communities as part of its bargaining proposal. Compensation for the communities should be forthwith. It has far too long for the communities that have been waiting for some nine years for compensation of damages due to El Cerrejón's coal mining operations.
I implore you, El Cerrejón, to come to a decent Collective Agreement with the union and to take the right action with the communities as Tabled in the Union's demands. Health and Safety is a major issue for our unionized workers in Canada and in Nova Scotia and in this, we stand fully behind the union to acquire safe and fair working conditions, as well as decent increased wages and benefits. A happy worker is a more productive worker, that's a fact.
It was to many Nova Scotians delight, that the union had included demands for several mine affected communities as part of its bargaining proposal. Compensation for the communities should be forthwith. It has far too long for the communities that have been waiting for some nine years for compensation of damages due to El Cerrejón's coal mining operations.
I implore you, El Cerrejón, to come to a decent Collective Agreement with the union and to take the right action with the communities as Tabled in the Union's demands. Health and Safety is a major issue for our unionized workers in Canada and in Nova Scotia and in this, we stand fully behind the union to acquire safe and fair working conditions, as well as decent increased wages and benefits. A happy worker is a more productive worker, that's a fact.
The affected communities must be treated justly and fairly in the way of relocation, compensation and reparations. It is the RIGHT thing to do. It is very disturbing to me and others that the Afro-Colombians, the Indigenous and the Wayuu people are being mistreated by El Cerrejón for far too long. Human Rights are everyone's business and in Atlantic Canada and in my union, we care what happens to these incredible Colombia Communities and the workers of your mine.
I am pleased to be part of my church who prays for the workers and the communities of La Guajira and for a peaceful resolution. My union, both the Public Service Alliance of Canada and my Component - Union of Solicitor General Employees have strong leadership to see us through the difficulties we as workers face with possible strikes, but we persevere, under their leadership. You need to show your leadership to the workers and to the Communities.
I am an Equity Opportunity's representative for people in my union and I stand strongly for human rights and I encourage you to Please, do what you can to avoid a strike, and to correct the wrongs down to the Communities affected by your Mine.
Sincerely,
Debbie Kelly, SSStJ
(PSAC) Pubic Service Alliance of Canada Provincial Director - Nova Scotia
(USGE) Union of Solicitor General Employees - Regional Vice President - Atlantic
Chairperson, Nova Scotia Citizens' Health Care Network
cc -Sintracarbòn; Jaime Deluquez, Freddy Lozano and Jairo Quiroz
cc -Sintracarbòn; Jaime Deluquez, Freddy Lozano and Jairo Quiroz
- PSAC, USGE, Atlantic REVP, Locals, Halifax Mayor and Councillor
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