In Depth back to UNI In Depth home page 06/30/2003 UNI's letter to the IADB on the closure of Telecom Colombia Mr. Enrique V. Iglesias President I A D B 1300 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20577 USA Nyon, 30 June 2003 Dear Mr. Iglesias: I write on behalf of 15.5 million workers in more than 120 countries that are represented by trade unions affiliated with Union Network International (UNI), the Global Union federation of telecommunication workers and other service sector employees. I wish to draw to your attention to the deplorable situation in Colombia where the government has issued a decree to “liquidate” TELECOM, a state-owned provider of nationwide telecom services, and to dismiss 5,000 of the organization’s 10,000 workers from their jobs. I wish to know if this radical action, taken with little if any consultation with the telecom workers’ union, is the policy recommendation of the IADB. If it is, I urge you to reconsider it promptly; if it is not, I urge you to intervene with the authorities in Colombia to reverse course immediately. It is our understanding that the IADB has taken on the task of “vertical reforms” in specific agencies of the Colombian government in support of a World Bank-funded project of “fiscal institutional structural adjustment” (as described in the Bank’s program document for the $300 million loan). We note further that the IADB has two projects in the pipeline – the “Infrastructure Privatization and Concessions II” project and the “Public Service Renewal Program” – that appear related to the larger World Bank project. If this is the case, we believe you have the responsibility to ensure IADB-related projects do not violate the rights of workers as the TELECOM decree clearly does. According to the chief executive officer of TELECOM, the enterprise is to be reconstituted under a new name and will employ just 3,000 workers and 2,000 contract employees. The rest of the work force will be left jobless. At a time of economic crisis in a country with massive unemployment, widespread poverty and an ongoing civil war, this action by the government of Colombia is perverse. In light of the willingness of telecom workers union to pursue reforms in the sector through social dialogue, it is also needlessly polarizing. UNI implores the IADB and its client government in Colombia to reconsider this reckless policy. We also encourage you to work with the World Bank and the IMF to ensure that public sector reforms comply with internationally accepted labor standards and that the workers of TELECOM are treated fairly as Colombia struggles to achieve peace and development. Sincerely, Philip Jennings General Secretary UNI's letter to the World Bank on the closure of Telecom Colombia UNI's letter to the IMF on the closure of Telecom Colombia ______________________ Union Network International http://www.union-network.org - contact@union-network.org