Trade Unions in Europe

A trade Union is an organization of workers pursuing a common goal, as better working conditions.
The union leaders bargain and negotite with the employers. Their negotiations usually involve topycs as wages, work rules, firing and promotion of workers, workplace safety, among others.
They were born in Europe, and became popular during the Industrial Revolution, because employer`s had the bargaining power as employees did'nt have the skills needed in most jobs, causing many workers to be mistreated and underpaid.

In 1973 it was created The European Trade Union Confederation. It's main goal was to promote the interests of the workers in Europe and to represent the in the E.U institutions. It takes care of all policy areas in order to defend the European social model and promote lifelong learning and better consultation for workers in the EU.

Which is the case of Colombian Trade Unions?

Even if they exist, they are not recognized by the goverment as in Europe.

The best way for understanding the situation of labor unions in Colombia is by watching this video of one of the most terrible, meaningful and memorable episodes in the country: The Slaughter of the Banana. In the banana area of the Magdalena, the American company United Fruit Company had over 25,000 workers, who were unhappy with their wages or poor working conditions, so they decided to go on strike. On 6 December, the company asked the public force to disperse the entire peasantry: more than 2,500 people were scattered blood and fire, leaving hundreds dead and wounded, and many imprisoned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCBy69BHdjM&feature=related

References:

Image, pack Union Europea, retrieved May 12, 2010, from: http://www.worldflags.es/imagenes/636iBanderas.jpg

Trade Unions. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_union

Sindicalismo (2005). Bibllioteca Luis Angel Arango. Retrieved May 12, 2010, from: http://www.lablaa.org/blaavirtual/ayudadetareas/poli/poli79.htm

ETUC. (n.d). About us. Retrived from http://www.etuc.org/r/5