Guest Opinion

Columbia free trade bad for America

By Gregory A. Pallesen

, May 1, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (12 Reader comments)

Debate over the Colombia Free Trade Agreement came to the forefront last month when the pact emerged as President Bush’s top legislative priority. A wide range of Democrats, from Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to Earl Blumenauer and David Wu, quickly announced their opposition.

They rightfully argue that consideration of a trade agreement with Colombia is inappropriate until that nation improves its atrocious human rights record. Why, then, does Congresswoman Darlene Hooley remain undecided?

My union, the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers, typically opposes free trade agreements because of their harmful legacy of offshoring American jobs.

Our members have experienced first-hand the destructive impact that cheap, foreign imports can have on Oregon families and communities. Trade deals that increase the federal trade deficit, put Americans out of work and cause environmental damage are the wrong choice for this country.

As bad as past trade policies have been, however, the Colombia Free Trade Agreement is even worse. This pact is especially repugnant given Colombia’s status as the deadliest country in the world to be a union member. Since 1991, more than 2,300 labor advocates have been assassinated there – many only after being kidnapped and brutally tortured first.

Apologists for the trade agreement point out that the numbers of assassinations are down from their historic highs.

While distastefully arguing that only 39 unionists were murdered last year, and only 17 have been murdered so far this year, they fail to acknowledge that more than 400 murders have taken under the watch of Colombia’s current administration, and that the rate of impunity for the murder of trade unionists remains around 97 percent.

Not only do the level of assassinations in Colombia remain the highest in the world, but those responsible continue to walk the streets freely.

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