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“Solidarity declaration” to back Zamora justice campaign
22 March 2007
Dockers’ unions from around the world this week pledged to support the ITF’s campaign to seek justice for murdered trade unionist Pedro Zamora.
They made the declaration on 19 March at a meeting of some 50 port unions in Sorrento, Italy, after hearing from Oscar Gonzalez, a board member of Sindicato de Trabajadores Empresa Portuaria – Quetzal (STEPQ), led by Zamora. Gonzalez and other union colleagues and their families have received death threats since Zamora was murdered on 15 January in a violent attack, linked to the union’s opposition to port privatisation.
There had been 15,000 murders in Guatemala over the past three years – with very few perpetrators ever being brought to justice, Gonzalez explained. The victims were not just trade unionists – they were peasants’ leaders, human rights workers – anyone, in fact, who wanted the war-torn country to change, he said. He also outlined how the government sought to profit from the sale of state-owned resources, while capital was benefiting from international trade treaties.
The dockers promised to back the campaign and signed up to a solidarity declaration. They also approved two resolutions, geared to build political lobbying of the Guatemalan regime and extend the campaign to all ITF transport sections. A proposal put forward by Spanish unions UGT and CC.OO, called on ITF unions to ensure that development cooperation funding from their governments to Guatemala included strong human and trade union rights provisions.
“If ever there was a time to implement the slogan of ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’ it is now ” commented Paddy Crumlin, MUA, dockers’ section chair. “Dockers worldwide will stand behind STEPQ in the fight for justice for Pedro and for Quetzal port workers’ trade union rights.”
Last week, ITF-affiliated Panamanian transport unions demonstrated outside the Guatemalan embassy in Panama City, handing over a letter demanding justice for Zamora.
Meanwhile, an ITF-ETF visit to the European Parliament led to a resolution on 15 March calling for Guatemala’s government to assume responsibility for human rights, adopt transparency in its justice system and guarantee the physical safety of trade unionists and others.
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