Leo W. Gerard International President February 21, 2013 Juan Manuel Santos, President República de Colombia Palacio de Nariño Bogotá, Colombia fsantos@presidencia.gov.co Dear President Santos: We write to express our concern over conditions at the Cerrajón Mine which have led to the legal strike currently being conducted by Sintracarbon, and to ask that your government respect the legal right to strike recognized in the Colombian and international law and ensure the safety of Igor Díaz López and Aldo Raúl Amaya, respectively President and Secretary-Treasurer of Sintracarbon. The free trade agreement between Colombia and United States was negotiated with the understanding that precarious work would be eradicated in Colombia. Your statements as well as those of President Obama led us to believe that Colombian employers would no longer be able to evade direct negotiations with their workers and their representatives through the use of subcontractors. However, one of the major issues in the strike in Cerrajón Mine is the denial of fair working conditions and compensation for the almost 50% of workers of the mine who are hired by contractors. The health and safety of the more than 700 workers in the Cerrajon Mine are also a matter of concern. The fact that a large number of workers have contracted terminal illnesses while working in one of the most profitable enterprises in Colombia reflects not only the greed of the employer but also the government’s failure to protect the workers. The United Steelworkers are a mining union. Many of our members have decent and well-paid jobs working in mining that benefit their families and their communities. At the same time, we do not believe that mining shall be allowed in any place or at any cost. Respect for the environment, the native population and the culture of the area are paramount for the implementation of a good mining project. In the case of Cerrajón, protection of the Rio Ranchería respect for traditional communities are the hallmarks of good development. We ask and expect that your government will respect the right to strike, ensure proper health and working conditions for all workers in the mine, and protect the environment and the local communities. Regards,
Leo W. Gerard International President
Ken Neumann National Director for Canada