Colombian Flower Workers Fired for Organizing

by Dollars and Sense

Remember the brief mention of the US-Colombia Trade Pact during the presidential debates? Contrary to the standard line in the business press, labor conditions in Colombia are far from free. In fact, more trade unionists were killed in the first 8 months of 2008 than in all of 2007.

And our friends at US/LEAP have notified us of new labor violations:

On November 11, Jose Alexander Montenegro, Jose Abel Rincon, Samuel Rico, Juan Bautista Lopez, Milton Paez and Sergio Fabian Bossa were illegally fired from the Mongibello flower plantation just outside of Bogota, Colombia.

All 6 workers had been at the plantation for over 15 years. Fed up with the labor conditions on the plantations, the workers decided to secretly contact one of Colombia’s labor federations, the CUT, to talk about organizing a union. When management at the plantation discovered their plans, the six workers were immediately fired.

Write to the management of the Mongibello plantation and tell them illegal firings are unacceptable!

Click here for more information and to sign on to an action alert.

Labels: Colombia, flowers, labor organizing, US-Colombian Free Trade Agreement, US/LEAP

 

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11/19/2008 01:06:00 PM 0 comments

 

Some Roses Don't Smell So Sweet

by Dollars and Sense

Before you order those overpriced roses for your Valentine's Day sweetie, consider a few disturbing facts from our friends at US/LEAP:

• Flower workers are primarily women who work long hours, especially before holidays like Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day, are paid poverty-level wages, and face hazardous working conditions
• Over 60% of flowers bought in the U.S. come from Colombia
• Nearly 100,000 flower workers are employed in Colombia, most of whom are women
• The largest grower and exporter of flowers from Colombia is Dole, which is also the largest exporter of flowers from Latin America to the U.S.
• Dole announced in October 2006 that it would close its largest plantation in Colombia following a two-year campaign by its workers to improve wages and working conditions and form a union.

US/LEAP is organizing a speaking tour of a worker at one one of the Dole plantations. Dora Acero will be traveling through cities in the Midwest in April. Contact Cryerson(at)usleap.org to get involved. Also visit US/LEAP for more ways to help support the rights of flower workers in Colombia.

OK, so what should you buy your loved ones? Fair Trade certified chocolate, of course. Some of our favorites include:

Equal Exchange
Art Bars

And if flowers are still the thing, you can now get them from Fair Trade certified sellers.

Labels: chocolate, Colombia, economic alternatives, fair trade, flowers, labor, US/LEAP, worker rights

 

Please consider donating to Dollars & Sense and/or subscribing to the magazine (both print and e-subscriptions now available!).
2/06/2008 03:31:00 PM 0 comments