An Open Letter to President Bob King

August 13, 2012

Brother King,

We, the undersigned UAW members and retirees, are writing to urge you to lend the immediate and full support of our union on behalf of fired GM autoworkers currently engaged in a hunger strike at the site of the U.S. embassy in Bogota, Colombia.

The hunger strike was initiated on August 1, 2012 on the heels of a year-long peaceful encampment at the curb of the embassy by former GM workers from the Colmotores assembly plant and their families. They have formed The Association of Sick and Fired Workers of General Motors Colombia (ASOTRECOL) to protest their termination by GM management due to job related injuries and illnesses. They are demanding an end to the working conditions that led to their injuries, compensation for their losses, and reinstatement to gainful employment at the corporation. While GM has responded by improving some working conditions, the company has not responded to the demands for justice by the fired workers. In the meantime, those on the hunger strike have sewn their mouths shut.

We believe it is essential to open ours. Your intervention on behalf of the Colombian workers with Peter McKinley, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia and GM CEO Daniel Akerson can help resolve the issues in contention, and bring to an end the hunger strike. Timely action now can save lives. If necessary, we urge you to lead a union delegation to the site of the hunger strike to widely publicize the heroic actions by the Colombian autoworkers, to further the cause of justice and international solidarity. An injury to one is an injury to all!

Signed,

Alta Magyar 9

Dianne Mathiowetz 10

George Windau 12

Wendy Thompson 22

Dianne Feeley 22

Jim Theisen 212

Doug Hanscom 239

Sharma Denner 239

Rosendo Delgado 412

Scott Houldieson 551

Terri Houldieson 551