Colombia’s largest trade union federation, the CUT, has condemned harassment and threatening actions towards three women trade unionists belonging to the SINALTRAINAL union for workers in the food industry. The three work for Nestlé in Colombia, while their experiences are the latest incidents of trade unionists employed at the corporation facing unwarranted aggression. It comes as SINALTRAINAL is running an ongoing campaign over reported endemic anti-union practices at Nestlé, as well as unfair dismissals of unionised workers.
On 14 June, Paula Andrea Rojas Franco was followed, photographed and filmed by two men on a motorcycle as she returned home from the company plant in Dosquebradas, department of Risaralda. On 18 July, another trade unionist from the same plant, Daniela Salazar, was also followed and recorded by unidentified men on a motorcycle. One week later, on 25 July, trade unionist Alicia Cardiles was forced to seek police help when two masked men followed her after she left a trade union meeting.
Paula Andrea, Daniela and Alicia belong to SINALTRAINAL’s group for Women and Diverse Community. In this role, they develop strategies to advance women’s representation in trade union roles, as well as that of other marginalised groups. ‘Their persecution represents not only an affront to their integrity and life, but a direct attack on the participation of women in union leadership positions,’ said the CUT.
SINALTRAINAL has been campaigning for fairer conditions and an end to discriminatory practices towards its members at Nestlé’s four plants in Colombia. In 2023, the company closed a fifth plant without compensating workers. In March this year, GMB and Unite members employed at Nestlé UK contacted the company over their concerns at the issues facing SINALTRAINAL members.
The following month, JFC virtually addressed the union’s National Assembly in the city of Valledupar, northern Colombia. Just four days later, SINALTRAINAL executive committee member Walberto Quintero Medina was murdered in Valledupar, where he worked at the Nestlé plant. It continued a disturbing pattern of violence towards unionised Nestlé workers in Colombia: at least 12 unionised Nestlé employees have been killed since 1985, with the murders of three workers in 2018 prompting a GMB conference motion in support of SINALTRAINAL.
With regards to the threats against Paula Andrea, Daniela and Alicia, the CUT called for thorough investigations to apprehend those responsible, while urging international organisations to ‘demand effective responses to this grave situation that criminalises trade union activity’.
Despite the progressive government’s close relationship with and support for the national trade union movement, union members continue to come under attack from elsewhere, with at least ten killed so far in 2025.