The World - News from June 19, 1989

Nearly 650 trade unionists were murdered and more than 10 times that number were arrested last year during union activity around the world, the largest Western labor group said in Geneva. Trade unionists in Latin America suffered the most brutal repression, and the situation in Africa caused concern, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions said in its annual survey of violations of trade union rights. The report, which cited incidents in 79 countries, said the number of deaths was nearly double the 350 reported in the previous year’s survey. The Brussels-based group links 142 trade union organizations in 97 countries.