International Centre for Trade Union Rights

The American centurySource: International Union Rights, Vol. 8, No. 2, Focus on the Americas (2001), p. 2Published by: International Centre for Trade Union RightsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41937159 .

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ICTUR □ EDITORIAL

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I extreme wealth and opportunity. Many workers, particularly in North America, have enjoyed unparalleled growth and prosperity throughout the second half of the 20th century. However, for many throughout the Americas the situation looks as precarious as it did to so many new European immigrants arriving to work, whether it be in Boston or Buenos Aires, at the start of the 20th century. What's more, in various countries throughout the Americas, workers and the trade union organisations face the same type of violence and extreme hostility that was around at the beginning of the last century. All of this can be set out in the context of pressures for free trade agreements that, if we are not careful, will only further undermine workers' rights.

The theme of this edition of International Union Rights is a broad one. We look at a range of issues relating to labour rights in North, South and Central America and we also cast an eye to the Caribbean. A number of common themes run through our contributions. One is the immensely powerful and potentially destructive role the United States government and US multinationals can play in relation to international labour rights. While the Clinton administration did make some positive contributions to the development of international labour rights - financially increasing its contributions to the ILO, supporting calls for the conditioning of international trade by reference to international labour standards, and going some way to provide at least some government acknowledgement of the burgeoning anti-sweatshop movement, it should be remembered that the Clinton administration failed to force through a number of measures in Congress such as the ratification of the two most important ILO conventions - 87 and 98 - and failed in many other areas. By contrast there can be no doubt that those who strive for the

Next issue of IUR

Articles between 850 and 1,700 words should be sent by email (ictur@gn.apc.org) and accompanied by a photograph and short biographical note of the author. Photographs illustrating the theme of articles are always welcome. All items must be with us by 1st August if they are to be considered for publication in the next issue of IUR.

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implementation of international labour rights should expect very little from the Bush administration. As the AFL-CIO's Barbara Shailor forcefully points out, the early signs from the Bush administration are not encouraging for trade unions, workers and the poor.

One facet of American hemispheric policy that the Bush administration inherited from its predecessor is Plan Colombia. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this heavily- criticised interventionist US policy, one thing is for certain - the situation for trade unionists in Colombia is dire. Words alone cannot express the perils of being a Colombian trade union or human rights activist. As we went to press with this edition, the number of trade unionists assassinated in 2001 had already reached 48. We must all wake up to the reality of what is happening in Colombia - and the sooner the better. ICTUR supports the international trade union campaign for an ILO Commission of Inquiry into Colombia, but we must also seek to build support mechanisms through the trade union movement to publicise the abuses that take place and provide some support for our Colombian brothers and sisters.

The upside of all this are the examples of immense courage and ingenuity that we see throughout the Americas in the face of these challenges, some of which we can read about in this journal. David Bacon's photos and writing - like Ken Loach's new film - bring home both the difficulties of being a Latino worker in California and on the Mexican border, but also show us the power that workers, unions and communities can exercise if they stand firm together. The struggle of the Chentex workers in Nicaragua further illustrates this for us. Finally, we must salute the courage of trade union leaders like Costa Rican Gilberth Bermudez and Colombian Jesus Gonzalez - both profiled in this edition. Their strength and vision shows a way forward and puts one in mind of the Bertolt Brecht poem, more famous in Spanish than English, that concludes - "Pero hay los que luchan toda la vida: esos son los imprescindibles"*.

Calling all lawyers! M? would like to alert all our legally minded readers to the launch of the International Commission for Labour Rights (see p15 for full story). This is a very exciting project and one in which the lawyers who read IUR should all be involved with. We also alert all trade unionists to the launch of the project and ask ILO workers' delegates to come along to the launch meeting on Saturday 16 June (again, full story p15).

Next issue IUR 8.3 will be published in September and will focus on Corporate Codes of Conduct and Labour Rights and their meaning for trade unions worldwide. As always we are happy to receive news items, photographs, etc from readers all over the world. We are also pleased to announce that IUR1 s French language release is imminent and we look forward to the comments and contributions of Francophone readers who will be joining these debates - which are already being enjoyed by readers in more than 80 countries. * But there are those who struggle all their lives: these are the indispensible ones

INTERNATIONAL union rights Page 2 Volume 8 Issue 2 2001

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