This resolution was passed at the January 2025 Quarterly Membership Meeting via Zoom on January 19, 2025.
Resolution: UAWD Continued Solidarity with the Courageous 13-year Struggle by injured ex-GM workers of Colombia (ASOTRECOL)
Submitted by Frank Hammer
Whereas the UAWD membership passed a resolution expressing international solidarity with the GM workers in Colombia (ASOTRECOL} who suffered workplace injuries, were subsequently fired and, in 2011, took up the struggle with a protest encampment at the U.S. Embassy, which stands to this day,
Whereas the concluding language of that resolution (July 9, 2023) stated:
Therefore, be it resolved that
UAWD urge the UAW IEB, UAW Pres. Shawn Fain and UAW VP Mike Booth to tell CEO Barra that she can demonstrate GM’s commitment to “problem solving” by returning at once to Colombia to complete the negotiations with ASOTRECOL under the auspices of the FMCS or other independent governing body for a just, fair and final settlement.
Whereas that resolution and the work of the UAWD International Solidarity Committee (along with allies) resulted in steps forward taken by UAW President Shawn Fain and Vice President Mike Booth, who jointly issued a letter to GM CEO Marry Barra on April 18, 2024 declaring,
“[We are] writing to inform you that we are committed to a favorable and just settlement between General Motors and the former GM Colmotores workers who suffered workplace injuries over a decade ago and were, as a result, unfairly dismissed from their employment.”
Whereas the UAW has since been in ongoing contact with ASOTRECOL’s President Jorge Parra, serving in an intermediary role vis a vis U.S. and Colombian government representatives in pursuit of a just settlement,
Whereas the UAWD sponsored a panel presentation at its Convention in September, 2024 about the years’ long and internationally supported fight by the Colombian autoworkers, and hosted a brief zoom presentation by Brother Parra,
Whereas UAW Vice President Mike Booth, speaking at a plenary session of the UAWD Convention, expressed his solidarity with ASOTRECOL, stating that the job of assisting them in their struggle for justice “was not finished,”
Whereas Vice President Booth on December 9, 2024 personally invited Brother Parra to meet with him and other UAW representatives at UAW Solidarity House, saying
“When we meet, we can continue to learn about your struggle and find ways in which we can be helpful to your courageous fight”
Whereas the Detroit Union Education League (DUEL) reached out to the UAWD in the interest of jointly endorsing a GoFundMe fundraising campaign on behalf of ASOTRECOL,
Therefore be it resolved, that the UAWD
- continue to demonstrate its determination to see ASOTRECOL’s just fight achieve a satisfactory conclusion by supporting the UAW’s goals to learn – and to inform – about the struggle, and “find ways in which we [as UAWD] can be helpful to their courageous fight,”
- extend an independent invitation to ASOTRECOL President Parra and sponsor one or more gatherings with UAWD representatives, members, UAW rank and file and supporters in Detroit and elsewhere at an as-yet-to-be determined date corresponding with the meeting planned at Solidarity House, and
- jointly sponsor a fundraising campaign with DUEL on behalf of ASOTRECOL – see https://gofund.me/36aac666 – to help sustain the encampment and/or help defray expenses associated with travel, board and lodging for when Jorge Parra makes his journey to the US to visit and meet with his supporters.