U.S. Government, Labor Groups Clash Over Colombia Action Plan Progress

摘要

The Obama administration is still at odds with the AFL-CIO and a Colombian labor organization over whether Colombia has made meaningful progress in implementing a 2011 bilateral labor action plan (LAP) linked to the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement, though all sides agree that Bogota still needs to bolster worker rights in three key areas. They are: addressing continued use of indirect employment arrangements that are allegedly abusive; improving the government's inspection and enforcement record; and combating violence and threats against union workers. All of these were key problems that the action plan specifically aimed to address.