Colombia; The World's Most Dangerous Place to Carry a Union Card
27 May 2010, 20:00 - 21:30
Public Talk in Galway: Jorge Gamboa Colombian TUC
The Western Hotel,
Prospect Hill, Galway.
Thursday 27th May at 8pm
Galway Trades Council and coalition of Trade Union and Human Rights campaigners are delighted to have the opportunity to host a public talk featuring a visiting Colombian Union Leader Jorge Gamboa.
Jorge has firsthand experience of how dangerous the situation in Colombia is for those who seek to protect worker rights. In 2008 he survived an attempt on his life by a group of police officers and like many other trade union leaders has since had to resort to travelling with bodyguards despite this, his high profile means that he continues to be at great risk.
Jorge who is visiting Ireland as a guest of ICTU, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, is a member of the National Executive of CUT (the national federation of trade unions) in Colombia. In 2008 whilst in his role as leader of the Colombian Oil Workers Trade Union he led a national campaign against the privatisation of the Colombian State Oil Company and it was during this campaign that the attempt on his life was made.
This talk will focus on how Europeans, through their governments and international trade agreements, can exert pressure on the Colombian Government to insist that they protect the rights of trade unionists and human rights defenders. The talk will be chaired and translated by journalist Michael Mc Caughan former Latin American correspondent for newspapers such as the Irish Times and Guardian who spent several years working from Colombia. Michael will also provide an overview of the current political situation in the Country.
Venue
The Western Hotel, Prospect Hill, Galway. Thursday 27th May at 8pm