Guatemala urged to investigate trade unionist murders
Guatemala urged to investigate trade unionist murders
International delegation says Guatemala risks losing its trade status with the EU and US if it fails to take action over murders
Anna-Claire Bevan, Guatemala City
theguardian.com, Wednesday 14 August 2013 10.18 EDT
International labour activists have called on Guatemala to investigate a wave of murders targeting trade unionists in the country, or risk losing its favoured trade status with the European Union and the US.
The Central American nation is considered to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist, according to the International Trade Union Confederation: in the past five years it is estimated that at least 58 trade union members have been killed in Guatemala, but no one has ever been convicted of the crimes.
An international delegation of trade union members is meeting the Guatemalan president on Wednesday to urge his government to investigate the deaths. The delegation from Public Services International (PSI), a global trade union federation representing 20 million public service workers worldwide, hopes its visit will help stop the violence directed at its affiliates in Guatemala.
"We stand in solidarity with our members who are being targeted for simply exercising their legal rights to belong to a union, for their bravery in exposing corruption and nepotism and defending public services against privatisation," said Rosa Pavanelli, PSI general secretary.
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/14/guatemala-trade-unionist-murders