A discussion about union organizing and the impacts of trade in Colombia and the United States
WHEN: Thursday, March 20th
Coffee & snacks at 5:00pm
Program starts at 6:00 pm
WHERE: Christ United Methodist Church
400 5th St. SW, Rochester, MNJoin us for an in-depth discussion on the realities and risks of union organizing in Colombia. The forum will be hosted by Edgar Paez from the Colombian Union SINALTRAINAL (National Food Industry Workers Union), Tara Widner of the United Steelworkers, Gerardo Cajamarca of the Global Justice Program with the United Steelworkers, Alicia Ranney of the MN Fair Trade Coalition and Kristen Melby of Witness for Peace. The discussions will focus on conditions for union organizers in Colombia and how trade deals impact workers, families and human rights both in Colombia and the US.
Edgar Paez is part of the international mission of SINALTRAINAL (National Food Industry Workers Union) in Colombia. Paez has dedicated his entire life to organizing workers and has worked actively in connecting social struggles both in Colombia and the world over. Paez is a member of the Operating Committee for the Social Observatory of transnational businesses, megaprojects, human rights and the Permanent Tribunal of the Pueblos Sesión, Colombia.
Tara Widner is a Staff Representative for the United Steelworkers. She was involved with the Steelworkers Global Justice 40-campus speaking tour featuring Luis Cardona, an exiled Colombian trade unionist and former Coca-Cola worker. Tara is currently working on the USW Toxic Trade –Get the lead out campaign, making the connections between poisonous imported toys and bad trade policy.
Gerardo Cajamarca works with the United Steelworkers through their Associate Member Program. He dedicates his time to education on Global Justice, worker and human rights, Plan Colombia, Free Trade, and immigration. He has assisted in organizing workers at Tyson Meatpacking in Garden City, Kansas and the boycott against Western Union. He is part of the International Mission of SINALTRAINAL. In Colombia Gerardo investigated human rights violations for SINALTRAINAL, the union at the forefront of the struggle of Coca-Cola and NESTLE workers. In 2004, he sought asylum in the US after receiving death threats.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Alicia Ranney (612) 578 – 8266 [email protected] or
Russell Hess, (507) 261-6546.Sponsored by the Southeast (MN) Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Witness for Peace, Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition and United Steelworkers of America.
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