VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0970/01 0721752
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121752Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1890
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8093
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0100
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 9309
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 6003
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA PRIORITY 1388
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO PRIORITY 6662
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 4336
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000970 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL ECON SOCI CO
SUBJECT: SECRETARY GUTIERREZ AND CHAO DELEGATION MEETS WITH 
COLOMBIAN LABOR LEADERS 
 
 ¶1.  Participants: 
 
UNITED STATES 
 
Secretary Carlos Gutierrez 
 
SIPDIS 
Secretary Elaine L. Chao 
 
SIPDIS 
Steven Preston, Administrator, Small Business Administration 
Ambassador William R. Brownfield 
Senator Bob Corke, R-TM 
Representative Tom Davis, R-VA 
Representative Edolphus Towns, D-NY 
Representative Fred Upton, R-MI 
Representative Peter Roskam, R-IL 
Representative Jim Mathewson, D-UT 
Representative Paul Ryan, R-WI 
 
Bob Manogue, ECON 
Kelly Carrillo, POL (note-taker) 
 
COLOMBIA 
 
Anti-FTA 
 
Carlos Julio Diaz, United Workers' Confederation 
Jose Joaquin Vasquez, United Workers Confederation 
William de Jesus Ramirez Ortiz, Colombian Workers' 
Confederation 
Ruben Dario Gomez, Colombian Workers' Confederation 
Jorge Iban Diez Belez, Colombian Workers' Confederation 
Jose Luciano Sanin, National Union School 
 
Pro-FTA 
 
Gerardo de Jesus Sanchez Zapata, Rionegro Textile Workers' 
Union 
Walter David Navarro Giraldo, Public Business Professionals' 
Union 
Carlos Sierra, First Thought Colombia Foundation 
Luis Fernando Cadavid Mesa, Textile and Garment Union of 
Antioquia 
Jose Gustavo Palacio Moreno, Mining and Energy Workers' Union 
 
¶2. SUMMARY:  On March 1, a congressional delegation led by 
Secretary Gutierrez and Secretary Chao met with 
 
SIPDIS 
representatives of two of Colombia's largest labor 
confederations--the United Workers' Confederation (CUT) and 
the Confederation of Colombian Workers (CTC)--as well as the 
Director of the National Unionists' School (ENS).  The groups 
said they oppose the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement 
(CTPA), because it would lead to higher unemployment and 
weaker labor rights. They called for more progress on 
prosecuting perpetrators of violence against unionists.  The 
delegation also met separately with members of unions that 
support the CTPA. who said CTPA passage would boost the 
Colombian economy and help workers.  The pro-CTPA unions also 
claim that the unions opposed to the CTPA do so for political 
rather than economic reasons.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  Secretary Gutierrez and Secretary Chao, along with a 
Congressional delegation, met with two labor federations and 
the ENS on March 1. CUT, CTC, and ENS representatives did not 
offer specific suggestions to improve the CTPA or to bolster 
labor rights.  They called on the GOC to address impunity 
related to violence against trade unionists, continue labor 
reforms, and improve "social dialogue" between unions and the 
government.  When asked directly by Secretary Gutierrez if 
any of the leaders would support the Agreement if it were 
modified to meet their concern, they all responded no, saying 
that they could not envision any changes that would make the 
CPTA acceptable to them. 
 
¶4.  Ruben Dario Gomez of the CGT said the three labor 
confederations ideologically oppose the CTPA, which he said 
would allow U.S. corporations to "invade and conquer" 
Colombia's markets.  He stated that the TPA would produce 
substantial job losses, with  only job creation occuuring 
among low-paying, manual labor jobs.  This would cause social 
and economic decline.  The labor groups claimed the CTPA 
would infringe Colombian sovereignty, especially in regard to 
the production of medicines due to intellectual property 
protections.   They said the CTPA would also endanger 
Colombia's domestic corn and rice industries, making it 
dependent on food imports. 
 
 
¶5.  Jose Luciano Sanin, Director of the ENS, said unions are 
"disappearing" because of the GOC's failure to enforce 
existing laws and to guarantee workers' rights.  He 
complained that Colombian firms often fire unionized workers 
and replace them with non-unionized workers.  Carlos Julio 
Diaz of the CUT said workers under temporary contracts fear 
their contracts will not be renewed if they organize or 
attempt to bargain collectively. He distributed a complaint 
written to the Ministry of Social Protection (MSP) by the CUT 
on behalf of the workers of Colvanes, a messenger service 
company.  It complains of intimidation, bribery, and 
mistreatment of workers to discourage them from starting a 
union.  The Ministry of Social Protections (MSP) is 
investigating the case. 
 
¶6.  Senator Corker asked whether the unionists would ever 
support the TPA, especially given that the CPTA would help 
Colombia attract U.S. businesses with have excellent labor 
rights records.  The unionists replied that foreign 
businesses in Colombia do not respect labor rights, citing a 
history of labor problems at Carrefour--a French-owned retail 
chain.  The union leaders admitted that violence against 
unionists has fallen, but said more should be done on 
impunity.   He urged the USG to continue support to the 
Prosecutor General's office (Fiscalia) so that more cases of 
violence against unionists are prosecuted. 
 
¶7.  At a separate meeting, union leaders in favor of the 
Agreement said the CTPA was crucial for Colombia's flower, 
mining, textile, garment and gold industries.  It would 
guarantee a market for Colombian products, boosting foreign 
investment. Carlos Sierra noted that the CTPA would not be a 
"panacea", but it would provide opportunities for job and 
investment growth.  They recognized the important steps the 
GOC has taken to combat union-related violence, noting that 
the deaths are not always related to union affiliation. 
 
¶8. They said the main labor confederations represent only 4% 
of all Colombian workers, and that 60-70% of their members 
represent the public sector--where the CTPA would make no 
difference.  They claimed to represent 45,000 workers, almost 
all from the private sector.  Jose Gustavo Palacio Moreno 
from the Mining and Energy Workers' Union said "a vote 
against the CTPA would be a vote for Chavez". Sierra noted 
that the pro-CTPA unions have reached out to the unions 
opposed to the Agreement, such as the AFL-CIO, but their 
requests for meetings have been rejected. 
Brownfield