Home | About us | Activities | Contact | Countries and Issues | Newsletter-Enlace | Get involved | Links | Notices | Resource Centre |
The Irish banana multinational Fyffes buys practically all of Belize's bananas. Despite Fyffe's having a laudable Code of Practice on workers' rights, which forms part of all their contracts with banana plantation owners, attempts by workers to organise for fairer wages have been met with harassment, intimidation and human rights violations. The government of Belize does not enforce its own worker protection laws, fearing, according to many observers, that Fyffe's will take their business elsewhere, leaving the country's economy in ruins.
Despite Fyffes having promised campaigners that they would take steps to end the violations of workers' rights, it has recently become clear that no action is being taken, and they continue to reap enormous profits from the exploitation of impoverished and powerless banana workers.
You may be aware of the recent LASC and Latin America Week workshops on "Fyffes, Belize and Workers' Rights", which covered the situation of workers on banana plantations in Belize.
At each workshop people expressed interest in organizing a demonstration outside the Fyffes AGM. Preparations are under way for a picket to help apply pressure on Fyffe's.
The proposed working slogan for the action is "Fyffes, don't slip up on workers' rights". We agreed at the second workshop to draft text for a basic information leaflet to hand out to shareholders and media going into the meeting, and a press release to highlight our concerns.
The plan is that those who can, will meet in LASC the night before (Thursday 29th at 7.30 pm) to do up some placards and organize a photo-opportunity for the next day. LASC is at 5 Merrion Row, Dublin 2, just along from the Shelbourne Hotel, off St Stephen's Green.
Next steps: