The unjust decision to dismiss Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo, President of ICEM affiliate Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), was reversed on 12 January. Heavy pressure was exerted on the Colombian government and the management of Ecopetrol, the 95% state-owned oil company.

Letters were sent to Ecopetrol president Javier Gutierrez Pemberthy from all corners of the world, from trade union organisations and activists angered by the blatant attempt to derail the union and punish Vecino for his role in the strong campaign for improved conditions and salaries at Canadian-based Pacific Rubiales.

Rodolfo Vecino centre, with Manfred Warda and Carlos Bustos

The decision to dismiss Vecino and end his 27-year employment at Ecopetrol was taken on 13 December by the company’s Office for Internal Discipline, and was only overturned after the company president bowed to pressure and instructed overturn the office’s decision.

This victory must now send a strong message to Ecopetrol’s Office for Internal Discipline that they must end the ongoing attempts to dismiss other USO officials and activists. The USO General Secretary Edgardo Lozano was to be the next target.

The shoddy charge used to dismiss Vecino had been linked to his participation at a political event marking the anniversary of the death of a previous Vice-President of the CUT.

Legislation had been manipulated which stipulates individuals holding public office cannot be involved in partisan politics. This legislation clearly should not apply to trade unionists, and this decision being overturned has avoided a dangerous new precedent.

See more details in the ICEM news article here.