USO STRIKE UPDATE 3.Mai 2004

The strike called by USO the Colombian Oil Workers Union on 22nd April has met support from national and international organisations.

The City Council of Barrancabermeja has issued a statement supporting USO in their defence of the national oil resources. They criticised the Uribe government,s decision to declare the strike illegal and said that the movement was a legitimate action of the workers in the protection of Colombia,s resources from foreign companies.

USO has also received the support of the Association of Oil workers pensioners of Eastern Colombia (ASPPOCOL). They came from different points of the area and marched from the town centre to the USO national offices.

Besides, a number of senators have asked the government and ECOPETROL management to start new talks with the Union and to withdraw the declaration of illegality of the strike. According to ILO jurisprudence oil refining is not a nation,s essential service. In defiance of this resolution, the Uribe,s government have argued that petroleum refining is an "essential service", declaring the walkout illegal. ECOPETROL has dismissed 12 union workers.*

The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers, Unions, ICEM have condemned the attitude of the Colombian government over the strike, the harassment and arrests suffered by the workers and the death threats made against workers and USO leaders. ICEM have expressed their support for the workers, movement.

At the moment the Catholic Church represented by the bishop of Barrancabermeja, Jaime Prieto Amaya have mediated between the Union and the government and new talks will start on Thursday, May 6th in Bogotá . The discussions will be about the oil policies, the new collective wage agreement and peace in Barrancabermeja. The government have refused to include the situation of the 12 dismissed workers in the agenda. The strike will continue during the new discussions with the government.

We call on all workers, union members and leaders to show their support for the USO and their fair fight. This is arguably the most important action taken by the Colombian Union movement in the last 20 years. The outcome of this strike will have a decisive impact on the union and social movement of Colombia.