Joint release by the United Steelworkers (USW) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA)

(Washington, D.C.) -- Communications Workers of America (CWA) International President Larry Cohen and United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement today regarding their request to a member of  the House Select Intelligence Committee that there be an investigation of  press reports that the government of Colombia may have misused U.S. government aid by spending it to investigate and undermine the activities of labor leaders and union activists in that South American country.

“Colombia has the worst record of any country in the world when it comes to violence against union leaders and activists,” said CWA President Cohen. “Press reports allege that the United States provided aid, equipment and training that Colombian officials wrongly exploited in ways that endangered labor leaders and activists.   The Select Intelligence Committee must take these allegations seriously and aggressively investigate abuse of U.S. government support and assistance by Colombia ... more