INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE OF WASTE PICKERS

The International Alliance of Waste Pickers is a union of waste picker organizations representing more than 460,000 workers across 34 countries
Supported by Logo WIEGO

Region

Country Colombia

July 23, 2018

Translated by Jose Cortes


The Association of Waste pickers of Bogota (ARB) published this report (download PDF) describing the current condition experienced by trade union leaders in Colombia. This association represents thousands of the city’s informal waste pickers and, thanks to the union struggle, it has secured the 2011 court ruling  which considers that waste pickers can compete with waste companies for municipal contracts, among other achievements. However, all the rights earned by the waste picker union brought along threats, persecutions and public denigration,  followed even by assaults and theft at the union office.