Hillary’s Complicity in Colombia’s War on Unions
April 1, 2016
Hillarys Complicity in Colombias War on Unions
by Patrick Carr
Hillary Clintons flip-flopping on NAFTA and the TPP have garnered justified criticism from left-wing progressives. While the Clinton free trade flip-flop is approaching the point of ubiquity, the mass majority of trade agreements end up enacted, regardless of how her position switches or evolves. The Colombian Free Trade Agreement, which was passed in 2011 when Clinton was Secretary of State, is no exception to this pattern.
During the 2008 campaign, Hillary denounced the plan, stating: As I have said for months, I oppose the deal. I have spoken out against the deal, I will vote against the deal, and I will do everything I can to urge the Congress to reject the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
Come 2011 however, the tune had changed. In an email regarding a call to Democratic congressman Sandy Levin (one of many in which Clinton makes clear her wish that the agreement is passed), Clinton wrote: I told him that at the rate we were going, Colombian workers were going to end up w the same or better rights than workers in Wisconsin and Indiana and, maybe even, Michigan.
Clinton must have made a sight miscalculation, because between 2000 and 2010, Columbia has accounted for about 63% of murdered unionists globally and killed over 120 between 2011 and February of 2015 (only six of which have resulted in convictions). Dubbed the union murder capital of the world by multiple journalists and nonprofits, Columbia has made little progress on improving labor conditions since the passing of the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement according to advocacy group Justice for Colombia. The agreements human and labor rights obligations have been virtually ignored, as paramilitary groups linked to the Colombian security forces continue to kill with impunity.
More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/01/hillarys-complicity-in-colombias-war-on-unions/
SoLeftIAmRight
(4,883 posts)another important post
FairWinds
(1,717 posts)Can someone start a separate thread on
HRC's blatant lies about the CFTA ?
Her current talk about the TPP deserves ZERO CREDIBILITY !!
Thanks, Vets For Peace