Defending Public Services: Canadian and Colombian Workers on the Front Line offers CUPE members a glimpse into the lives of Colombian workers.
The 16- minute DVD, produced by CUPE, PSAC and CUPW, is an account of the joint Canadian union delegation to Colombia in 2006. CUPE global justice committee co-chair Barb Moore was on the tour as was Manitoba staff member Dennis Lewycky.
In 2004, after examining the circumstances facing our brothers and sisters in Colombia, the three national unions concluded that the fight to defend public services was a priority for workers in both countries. To do it meant that building mutual solidarity ties between our unions was essential.
It began with a Colombia tour of several Canadian provinces and, as solidarity ties deepened between the three unions and their counterparts in Colombia, a return tour was organized to Colombia in November 2006.
As the DVD shows, Canadian activists saw first-hand the courageous fight Colombian workers are carrying out in partnership with human rights and community organizations. They also gained a sense of what Colombian workers experience in the postal, health, municipal and other services.
Send Stephen Harper a message at the CLC’s website to help stop the free trade deal with Colombia.
Problems with the Quicktime video? Download in Windows Video format (330MB)