Colombia remains the most dangerous country for trade unionists and the situation there is getting worse despite government claims to the contrary, the International Trade Union Confederation says on Wednesday.

In its annual survey of violations of trade union rights, the ITUC says 49 trade union activists were killed in Colombia last year, an increase of 10 over 2007. Globally, the number of recorded assassinations of trade unionists fell to 76 last year from 91 in 2007.