18th February 2010, GMB

GMB, in support of banana workers union SITRAP in Costa Rica, is launching a major UK campaign to secure an end to the Pope John XXIII School in the capital San Jose being used to promote the anti-trade union strategies of the employers in Costa Rica’s tropical fruit plantations. This centre was established by the Catholic diocese of San Jose in 1963 and its union busting activities are a relic of the Cold War.

To launch the campaign GMB union activists will stage a demonstration:
11am Tuesday 23rd February 2010
Cathedral Piazza, Westminster Cathedral, Victoria Street, London SW1P 1QW

2nd February 2010, Banana Link

On 8th December 2009 at the FAO headquarters in Rome, the World Banana Forum was launched, creating a permanent space of assembly for participants representing the global banana supply-chain.  All 150 participants agreed to set the mission of ‘Working Together for Sustainable Banana Production and Trade’.  As such, the aim of the Forum is to promote open dialogue and inspire collaboration between stakeholders in order to produce pragmatic outcomes for the improvement of the banana industry and to achieve an industry-wide consensus on best practices regarding workplace issues, gender equity, environmental impact, sustainable production and economic issues.

185 plantation workers sacked for joining a trade union
14th January 2010, SINTRAINAGRO, Ciénaga, Magdalena

Government to set up supermarket ombudsman
14th January, Tescopoly

The Philippines: Mindanao farmers kick off protests
12th January, Banana Link

Producers in El Oro province sell more than 42 thousand bunches of bananas to the Government
7th January 2010, El Comercio, Ecuador

EU, Latin Americans call truce in long-running banana war
16th Dec, Bridges Weekly Trade News

Historic agreement reached over EU import tariffs
15th December, Banana Link