Chairman Miller Statement on President Bush’s Proposed Colombia Free Trade Agreement

Monday, April 7, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today after President George W. Bush submitted to Congress a trade agreement with Colombia.

“Congress should not consider any further trade deals until such time as there is a national support system in place that helps workers who lose their jobs, whether because of trade agreements, downturns in the economy or for other reasons beyond their control. Today, we do not have such a system in place. No longer should American workers become poor because they lose their jobs through no fault of their own and are unable to get the resources they need to get back on their feet. We need a national system of effective education, job training, income support and health care for displaced workers.  Especially at a time when American families are reeling from the credit crisis, we must first make sure that we have in place the mechanism to help our own workers and their families recover and move forward.

“With regard to Colombia specifically, the Colombia trade agreement proposal poses an additional and special challenge for the Congress. Because of historical and ongoing violence against Colombians who are labor organizers, labor leaders, or simply members of labor unions, Congress should not consider this proposed trade agreement with Colombia until we are assured that Colombia has brought to justice those responsible for the attacks on union members in Colombia and until Colombia has successfully put an end to the impunity that has been enjoyed for years by those who have attacked and killed union members in Colombia. Until Colombia has proven that it has a sustainable and effective system to protect the rights of working people in Colombia against physical harm, Congress should not consider this trade agreement.”

►Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world for union members; since the 1980’s, more than 2,500 workers have been assassinated in Colombia for joining, forming, or leading labor unions. For more information about violence against union members in Colombia, click here.

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