International union delegation demands justice for injured GM workers in Colombia

BOGOTÁ—A delegation of international unions, led by the United Auto Workers (UAW), visited Colombia in November to once again demand justice for the injured Colombian auto workers who have fought General Motors for over 14 years. The visit demonstrated the recommitment by the UAW’s leadership under President Shawn Fain to the struggle of ASOTRECOL, the Association of Injured Workers and Ex-Workers of GM Colmotores.

The international delegation met with members of ASOTRECOL at their long-standing tent encampment outside the U.S. Embassy. They also met with members of SINTRAIME, the union for current GM Colmotores workers who will be laid off en masse after GM’s decision to close the plant. They denounced GM’s labor rights violations and pressed officials at the U.S. Embassy and the Colombian Ministry of Labor to take concrete action in support of the workers.

“We are thankful for the presence of these union activists and their support for our long struggle,” said Jorge Parra, President of ASOTRECOL. “It inspires us to continue.”

A legacy of injury and abandonment

The workers of ASOTRECOL bear the physical cost of GM’s operations in Colombia. At the 1970s-era Colmotores plant, workers suffered routine, debilitating injuries—such as herniated discs, back injuries, and carpal tunnel syndrome—while assembling Chevrolet vehicles. Many found themselves unable to work again.

GM’s response, according to the workers, was to discharge them and, in many cases, tamper with their medical records to void disability pensions. The workers who formed ASOTRECOL were among hundreds who faced this fate. When they sought redress through Colombian courts, they found the system was rigged against them.

In 2011, after Colombian regulators refused to hold GM accountable, the workers set up a protest camp at the U.S. Embassy. They hoped the Obama administration, a major GM shareholder after the auto bailout, would compel the company to act. They were met with silence.

GM only agreed to mediation in 2012 after ASOTRECOL members staged a hunger strike with their lips literally sewn shut. The company walked away from talks after three days with a “final offer” that failed to cover the workers’ needed medical surgeries. It never returned to the table.

Solidarity comes to Colombia

For years, ASOTRECOL relied on support from rank-and-file UAW members and local unions, who raised funds and even protested at GM headquarters in Detroit. The UAW International Union, under previous leadership, offered limited public support. That changed with the election of President Shawn Fain and Vice President Mike Booth, who leads the UAW’s GM Department.

The November delegation, which also included representatives from CSP Conlutas (Brazil), the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee, as well as donations from Unifor (Canada), reflects the UAW’s recommitment to international labor solidarity—particularly with regard to autoworkers who toil at the same transnational corporations, such as GM.

In its statement for International Human Rights Day, the UAW reaffirmed its “unwavering support,” noting the workers’ 14-year encampment at the embassy. “These workers gave their health and futures while helping generate billions in profit for GM,” the union stated. “They deserve fair compensation and humane treatment.”

The Colombian Labor Ministry, after meetings with the delegation, committed to convene GM for talks based on a five-point plan from the workers. With the Colmotores plant closing, the push for a settlement now enters a critical phase. The international union movement aims to ensure GM does not shut the door on the injured workers it left behind and to provide a just resolution to their issues.

We hope you appreciated this article. At People’s World, we believe news and information should be free and accessible to all, but we need your help. Our journalism is free of corporate influence and paywalls because we are totally reader-supported. Only you, our readers and supporters, make this possible. If you enjoy reading People’s World and the stories we bring you, please support our work by donating or becoming a monthly sustainer today. Thank you!