Speech by James Brittain

Speech by James Brittain

During the 2005 National Convention of the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE – PSAC) James Brittain, a PhD candidate and Lecturer at the University of New Brunswick, presented a speech examining the importance of international solidarity with other workers in the world. The principal focus of the presentation was on the current realities of state-imposed violence waged against organized labour in the country of Colombia, which has become the “most dangerous country in the world for unionists” with “90% of all the trade unionists murdered globally occur within Colombia alone”. The message of the talk was that through “witnessing these attacks against organized labour” the UTE and other unions in Canada “can insure that workers everywhere are treated with respect and have the right to live and organize for fair wages”.

The presentation provided a glimpse at the increasing state-imposed repression on organized labour, which “has increasingly aligned itself with the policies and guidance of the United States Bush administration”. As a result, the present Colombian government has proposed tremendous cuts and restrictions to organized labour while encouraging de-unionization. The Colombian congress has entertained policies that formally allow union-breaking, end pension privileges, increase the age of retirement and therefore prolong workers ability to receive their pensions, and seeks to eliminate 33% of all government related jobs. Brittain noted that in 2004, the Ministry of Social Protection, responsible for labor issues, restricted the vast majority of newly formed unions legal status and declared the majority of strikes during the year, illegal. Unions say recent changes in labor law have made it harder for workers to exercise collective bargaining and freedom to associate with other workers.

Most disturbingly, the government has introduced new anti-terrorism laws that have made it easier to criminalize trade union activity. During the current administration, an increasing number of union leaders have been arrested on charges of “terrorism” and “rebellion” and therefore, ‘legitimately’ detained as criminals in their own country.

However, Brittain openly presented the question of “how is this relevant to Canadian workers?” He followed by arguing that “if organized labour is silenced within Colombia this ensures a growing reserve army of labour that can be easily exploited. It has been witnessed greatly in Mexico and India that corporations will move industry where labour is least expensive. If more workers are laid off or demobilized in Colombia, this puts Canadian jobs at risk. Maintaining that workers everywhere have a fair wage, increases the ability for workers everywhere to maintain employment”

At the end of the presentation Brittain called on the UTE – PSAC to join in a national campaign of solidarity with “one of the largest and most powerful unions in Colombia; FENSUAGRO - The National Federation of Agricultural Farming Unions”. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW – Canada) have become two of the most important international supporters for the Colombian organization supplying tremendous amounts of sociopolitical and economic support. Such solidarity is greatly needed because increasing state-paramilitary attacks have hindered the organization in several areas. Nevertheless, he said that “as members of the UTE you have the ability to show your strength and solidarity for your brother and sisters in the global labour movement”. He ended the talk by stating that “workers of the world must unite to combat the global movement against organized labour”.