Colombian Trade Unions in the Firing Line: A Sugar Cane Cutter’s experience

dublin | worker & community struggles and protests | event notice Friday April 17, 2009 11:53 by Grupo Raíces - Grúpa Fréamhacha raices2007 at gmail dot com

Public talk on the victorious sugar cane cutters strike in Colombia, repression to workers and the problems posed by the Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the European Union.

Colombian Trade Unions in the Firing Line: A Sugar Cane Cutter’s experience on strike, repression and victory

Wednesday April 22nd
19:00 o’clock
Social Hall, Liberty Hall

On September 15th 2008, 12,000 sugar cane cutters decided to go on strikes over appalling working conditions. They work in one of the worst paid industries, which has been doing enormous profits thanks to the interest in the US and the EU on ethanol and biofuels derived from sugar cane. From the start, the strike faced massive police repression, militarization of the plantations and refineries, a libellous campaign from the media and open attacks from the Colombian president Álvaro Uribe.

In spite of everything, workers unity and decision to carry on with their strike, led to an important victory of the organised workers, proving that if people come together, no matter how difficult the road ahead may look, there’s nothing that will stop them. Juan Cambindo Cuenu, a spokesperson of the strikers will share his inspiring experiences with the audience.

Juan Cambindo Cuenu is spokesperson of the Sugar Cane Workers. He is a worker of the sugarcane industry since 30 years ago. Since 1997 until now he works in the Manuelita Sugar Plantation, one of the biggest in the department of Valle del Cauca. Nowadays he is member of Sintrainal, which groups the workers of the food industry in Colombia. For the time of the strike (15th September to 12th November 2008), he was spokesman of the workers and member of the negociation team between the workers and the government.

To put the experience of this sugar cane cutter’s spokesperson in the context of what we can actually do from Ireland in terms of support and solidarity, we have also invited guest speakers to deal with the situation of the current relations of the EU and Colombia, and particularly, of the Free Trade Agreement being negotiated at present:

Déirdre de Burca, Senator for the Green Party and MEP candidate, will speak on the position of their European block in relation to the Free Trade Agreement that the EU is negotiating with Colombia.

Finian McGrath, Independent TD, will speak on his experience on Colombia, and the need of Ireland to take a positive role in leading to a political settlement of the current conflict.

Liam Craig Best, from Justice for Colombia, will speak on the role of trade union solidarity for their Colombian counter-parts, which face constant harassment and attacks in their activities.

Everyone is welcome to this Colombia awareness evening.

Organised by:

Justice for Colombia (Irish branch)
Latin American Solidarity Centre
Grupo Raíces (Grúpa Fréamhacha)