News

April 8 will mark one month since the murder of Leonidas Gomez Rozo, leader of the National Union of Bank Workers of Colombia (UNEB).

We are deeply impressed by the courage of our unions in Colombia and their desire to continue the struggle in a nation where 2,574 unionists have been murdered in the past two decades.

As a modest but important step to keep the pressure on the Colombian authorities, we would like each UNI affiliate to send a message to the Colombian Embassy in their country. The message is here below. Please send this message during the week April 7.

We would ask you to inform your own union members through your statements, newsletters and websites about the action you have taken. Please also inform your own national authorities about your anger at the victimization of Colombian trade unionists and the murder of Leonidas.



Message to your Colombian Embassy:

(please find a list of Colombian Embassies here: http://www.embassiesabroad.com/embassies-of/Colombia)

Missing information: Norway

Colombian Embassy in Oslo, Norway: Oscarsgate 34, 0254 Oslo, phone + 47 23 12 01 50, Fax: + 47 23 12 01 51, mail: eoslo@cancilleria.gov.co

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On behalf of (name of your union), I want to express anger and outrage at the murder of Leonidas Gomez Rozo. Leonidas was employed by Citibank and was a leader of UNEB, the bank workers’ union of Colombia.

In the past twenty years, over 2,500 trade unionists have been murdered in Colombia. The response of the Colombian Government has been inadequate. Union members are murdered with impunity and the victimization and intimidation of trade union members continues unabated.

Along with UNI Global Union, we mourn the loss of Leonidas and protest against the complacency of the Colombian Government.

We call upon the Government to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of Leonidas and to take immediate steps as a Government and with the private sector, including multinational companies, to stop repression in Colombia.

We look forward to your response.



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Link to UNI mission report (affiliates only):

http://www.union-network.org/UNICirculars08.nsf/all/1A48260A0043959EC125741A0051FC1F?OpenDocument