Banana workers in the world's health care benefits and health top exporting country went on centres, and a decent salary. strike at the beginning of The workers are also March in the first major union demanding the recognition of a drive in Ecuador in 20 years, new union they have formed, The struggle is being watched called the General Union of carefully by banana unions Plantation Workers of throughout Latin America, Haciendas Yanayacu 1 & 2, Rey whose wages and benefits are Rancho | & 2, La Nueva, threatened by the dominance Zapotal, & La Teresa. of non-union, low-wage Management responded to Ecuadorian banana exports. the strike action by firing eight On 25 February, more than union leaders. On advice of 1,400 workers at seven planta- counsel, workers went back to tions producing for the Noboa work, since their wildcat strike Corporation in Ecuador went was technically illegal. Union on strike to call for their basic supporters subsequently began labour rights. These rights are signing up hundreds of memestablished under Ecuadorian bers and filed an application for law and include overtime pay, legal registration of the union. In the first week, 500 workers signed up for the union. The company is now under an injunction that would make any further firings illegal and make any new strike legal. The union has prepared a list of demands for negotiations with management, with meetings scheduled this week. According to the union, the fincas are divided into seven separate businesses that rotate workers from one to another in order to avoid legal obligations and benefits enjoyed by permanent workers. The union believes that the plantations are secretly owned by Noboa, and are requesting that the company and government divulge the true ownership of the plantations.
Regardless of who actually owns the plantations, they produce bananas for Noboa. The owner of the Noboa Corporation is Alvaro Noboa Ponton, candidate for the Presidency of Ecuador. Noboa is the fourth biggest banana company in the world (after Chiquita, Dole and Del Monte) and owns the Bonita brand.
The union has also submitted to the Labour Minister an application for legal registration of the union. Assuming the Minister approves the registration of the new union, this will be the first independent banana workers' union since the 1970s. SUPPORT BANANA WORKERS I) Contact Noboa.
Write the owner of the Noboa Corporation, Alvaro Noboa Ponton. Urge the Noboa company to ensure that these plantations, whether they are directly owned by Noboa or not, (a) comply with Ecuadorian law concerning worker rights, (b) recognize the union, and (c) negotiate the union's demands in good faith.
Fax a letter to Noboa in Ecuador at 011-593-42-444093. 2) Contact the Ecuadorian govemment Contact Ab. Martin Insua Chag, Minister of Labour & Human Resources in Ecuador. Fax: 011-593-2-256-3469 or 011-593-2-250-3122; E-mail to <[email protected]>.