Despite opposition, Colombian trade unions still achieve successes
Developments in Colombia
Legal obstacles, lack of protection for union members and ongoing political violence. In Colombia, the trade union movement faces a daily struggle, without much help from the government. Despite this, the unions are achieving success. FNV consultant Diego Lopez from Colombia summarizes their achievements.
Thanks to the support of collaborative projects with Mondiaal FNV, and in spite of the above-mentioned opposition, trade union organizations have managed to strengthen their presence in the public debate, as they continue to prioritize unity and capacity development. Below are some important milestones achieved by the Coordinadora Sindical Palmera (palm oil trade union coordination):
- Establishment of the Palm Workers' Union School (Escuela Sindical Palmera). This is a centralized workspace consisting of 14 palm oil trade unions from the national network. The school has its own management structure and will serve as a hub for organizations involved in research, training and cooperation.
- Signing of collective labour agreements. Despite the difficulties with the social dialogue within the palm sector, these agreements have successfully led to higher wages and improved occupational health and safety for hundreds of workers.
- Targeted growth of trade unions. This strategy, which focuses on very weak trade unions threatened with closure due to low membership, has led to a growth of up to 600%. These trade unions are now emerging as important local actors, for example in La Gloria, Cesar.
- Political recognition. The Coordinadora Sindical Palmera has gained political recognition from government agencies, employers and international actors. This has resulted in palm oil trade unions consulting with the Ministry of Mines and Energy on government policy on biofuels, as well as initial meetings on social dialogue with Fedepalma, the main association of palm oil companies in Colombia, and finally, participation in tripartite training and dialogue forums organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to discuss living wages in agriculture.
These results are based on the collective realization that palm oil workers, despite belonging to different trade unions such as Sintrainagro (agro-industry) or Sintraimagra (food industry), are stronger through joint action and the collective formulation of their demands.
The added value of IPOWU
The same focus on joint action is being developed internationally through the International Palm Oil Workers Union (IPOWU). The Coordinadora Sindical Palmera sees many advantages to this. A working visit to Indonesia in September 2025 was particularly enlightening for the Colombian palm oil trade unions. Recurring concerns – including the use of agricultural chemicals banned by the European Union, low wages for workers in the palm oil industry, the lack of guarantees for freedom of association, and gender-based violence against women on plantations – emphasized the need for cooperation with partners in the Netherlands, Ghana and Indonesia.
Furthermore, membership of the IPOWU has enabled trade unions to exert pressure on companies to fulfil their obligations. No company wants this international network to label it as non-compliant with international agreements such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) obligations, the Global Compact agreements, or the ILO's international labour conventions.
Anti-trade union violence
Although the palm oil trade unions are constantly striving to improve working conditions through cooperation, anti-union violence remains a significant factor in Colombia. The very survival of the trade union movement is in and of itself an achievement that would not be possible without international solidarity. The results achieved through this solidarity in terms of strengthening and growth enable the unions to dream and to fight for further change. The support of the FNV helps to navigate difficult paths, in the knowledge that the international trade union movement stands alongside Colombia's agricultural workers.
Text: Diego Lopez