Riot Police Break up Oil Workers Demonstration
News from Colombia |
on: Sunday, 10 July 2011
Oil workers labouring on infrastructure projects for the local oil industry in Puerto Gaitan, Meta department orgainsed a mass demonstration on July 6th in protest against the serious violation of their rights by their employers. The employer, a company called Montajes JM, is subcontracted to the CEPCOLSA-CEPSA multinational which is in partnership with Colombian State Oil Company, ECOPETROL.
The workers say that Montajes JM has not been honouring individual contracts with the workers, and also that health and safety regulations and labour rights are being violated. The Colombian Oil Workers’ Union, USO, has been in the area since June 21st trying to open negotiations with the company, but to no avail.
This situation forced the workers to demostrate on July 6th, but their peaceful attempt to improve their work situation was met with violence by Colombian riot police ESMAD. The ESMAD, notorious for their brutality, violently broke the workers’ demonstration, giving lie to the Colombian government’s claims that labour rights in Colombia are respected. According to the USO this shows that “the national government preaches about the respect of trade union and worker rights at international level, but its practice is the opposite of its talk.” The union is also concerned at the 1100 workers who now face the very real possibility of unfair dismissal due to their participation in the actions.
The demonstration was supported by the local community and indigenous groups who feel that oil has brought nothing but “poverty, unemployment, corruption, contamination, displacement and serious social problems” to Puerto Gaitan.
