News

UNI Global Union once again expressed alarm and indignation over the systematic violation of the rights of SINTRASALUDCOP workers. The government's indifference for the last six years since the intervention of the SaludCoop Business Group has meant that workers suffer.

As a result of CaféSalud's (formerly SaludCoop) bad management, there is a lack of resources to provide services to patients and the standard of care has suffered. Additionally, 10’000 people have lost their jobs. UNI Global Union affiliate SINTRASALUDCOL fears that re-privatising CaféSalud will lead to clients suffering, thousands of care workers losing their jobs and union rights being threatened.

Philip Jennings, UNI Global Union GS and Marcio Monzane, UNI America Regional Secretary, sent a letter to the Colombian president Santos.

Jennings demanded that the Colombia government take responsibility for their health sector, “We call on your government to comply with its duty to ensure the right to decent working conditions in the care sector. We demand that, during the acquisition process, purchasing companies safeguard workers' jobs, respect their rights, and end the anti-union culture that has prevailed for many years. CaféSalud may be for sale, but Colombians' health is not.”

“The signing of a peace treaty is an opportunity to build a better country,” explained Jennings. “To do so, human rights violations such as the death threats made against union leaders last week and attacks on the health sector, must stop.”

To support this demand, the Colombian care union SINTRASALUDCOL organised several actions in Colombia.

Several UNICARE affiliates in Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific supported SINTRASALUDCOL in front of Colombian embassies/consulates and expressed their solidarity.

UNI Global Union launched a Click-and-Go letter to help Colombian patients and care workers.