Last week the AFL-CIO launched a campaign to shame Congress out of passing the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, or so it would seem. According to their website “Colombia remains the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists struggling for economic freedom and the fundamental human right to organize.” And as recently as May, the AFL-CIO said it would “continue to vigorously oppose the proposed free trade agreement with Colombia so long as the ‘horrifying levels of labor and human rights violations in the country’ continue.” To better illustrate their horror the labor federation took out two full-page ads in Capitol Hill publications last week [5] showing the funeral procession of a Colombian union organizer – who died thirteen years ago. As it turns out the federation might also be using old data, at least according to the Latin Business Chronicle. “Today, homicide rates are higher in the United States (5.0 per 100,000) than among Colombia’s labor union members (3.4 per 100,000). A resident of the District of Columbia is seven times more likely to be murdered than a Colombian labor union member. The allegation that labor union members are being targeted for assassination today comes from U.S. labor unions, not Colombians.” And far from being persecuted, labor unions have grown significantly in Columbia since 2009 with membership up by 75%. Who to believe? That’s about to become a moot point. Progressives who’ve fallen for the “Killer Colombia” flim flam could be embarrassed next week when Trumka and Crew suddenly lose interest in the horrors of Colombian life. Rumor has it a deal has been brokered with key Republicans [7] to deliver a billion or so worth of Trade Agreement Assistance gravy to the unions in return for unions allowing Democrats to support the trade agreements without too much union flack back home. (As we reported in the last issue of INK, extended TAA funds go primarily to union training centers, VEBAs and union benefit providers.) The cost of the 2011 TAA plan has not been revealed although the White House had initially requested $2.1B for the program.
