Colombia is a country with a significant number of unions, but with low
affiliation of workers to them. The Labor and Union Information System, Sislab,records that the country had, before the appearance of covid-19, about 6,000unions, with approximately 1,400,000 affiliates, that is, barely 5% of theworking population. . Below countries like Chile, Mexico and Venezuela that reach12%, and Argentina that exceeds 35%, according to data from the InternationalLabor Organization, ILO. ---- A situation that forces us to reflect on unionpractices that prevent workers from seeing unions as an effective tool to defendand fight for their rights. But, fundamentally, to criticize the organizationalstructures of the unions, as they are structures that deny the possibility of anactive life among the workers.And it is that the unions in the country became structures that are divided intoprofessionals and users, meanwhile, the participation of the majority of theiraffiliates is reduced to passive participation in elections to elect managers. Inaddition, due to the existence of the so-called "union law", a legal figure thatprotects managers from being fired without the prior intervention of a laborjudge, and from being transferred from their workplace. Figure that only a fewtake advantage of, taking benefits even above the rest of the unionized workers.To such an extent that many of these leaders remain in these leadership positionsfor years.On the other hand, it cannot be denied that, within the unions and the workers'unions, there is a constant dispute for internal power, in which the politicalparties have great influence. To the point that union action, in many cases, isimposed by these minorities, leaving the bulk of workers relegated. Consolidateda passive political culture among the workers.It should also be said that unionism in recent years has lost its legitimacyamong women workers and the popular sectors, while its practices during thesocial outbreak of 2021, and prior to this phenomenon, have been passive. Byreducing their action to the path of conciliation under the fantasy of aprotective State. A situation that we see year after year at the dialogue tablesthat are held with the governments of the day and the employers' association. Tosuch an extent that, for example, while young people and the popular sectorsexpressed themselves in the streets during the social outbreak, they called toabandon them.On the other hand, it should be noted that, although the trade unions are partlyresponsible for the ineffectiveness of union action, we cannot deny that thehistorical context of violence that the country has experienced for more than 60years is also a element to take into account in relation to the very low numberof unionized workers. As well as the violence exerted by the State and theemployer to delegitimize and deny the right to free association of workers.Finally, highlight that among these unions there are compañeros and compañeraswith whom, beyond the differences, it is possible to work and build a labormovement, from a class perspective, totally horizontal and far from authoritarianpractices.Huila Regional FederationJoin the ULET-AIT!Luis A. Roso.https://huila.uletsindical.org/2022/11/opinion.html_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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