Colombia’s National Strike: Popular Mobilization and the Roots of Inequality

Labor organizer John Ocampo will be sharing photos and information about his recent delegation to Colombia.

Colombia is the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists. Under these conditions, on November 21st, 2019, Colombians took to the streets as part of a National Strike that continues to this day. The depth and breadth of this popular mobilization is unlike anything seen in the country since the 1970s. What explains this new upsurge? What are the prospects for peace and justice in a country often (and wrongly) described as Latin America's "oldest democracy?"

UE organizer John Ocampo recently helped lead an Alliance for Global Justice/United States Labor Against the War union delegation to Colombia. He will report on the deep historical roots of the National Strike, the state of the labor movement in the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists, and the U.S. role in maintaining Colombia's unjust and highly unequal social order. As people in Latin America and much of the world revolt against the imposition of policies aimed at further enriching the 1%, it is crucial to understand the interconnection of these struggles so that we may apply their lessons to our own situations.

Brought to you by UE Local 1186's Culture and Political Education Committee.