The United Steelworkers made clear to Colombian and U.S. authorities that it supports the Colombian Drummond workers represented by Sintramienergetica in their fight for better wages and improvements to health and safety practices.

In a letter to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez and copied to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, USW International President Leo W. Gerard asked that the Colombian government protect the striking union members during this critical time.

“In light of the fact that negotiations and strikes subject union members, and especially union leaders, to possible attacks by right-wing paramilitaries” in Colombia, Gerard wrote, “we ask that the government take all necessary precautions to protect the striking union members and their leaders ... more