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New Union in Dole Pineapple Producer in Ecuador |
12th May 2008, Buena Fé, Los Rios, Ecuador
Today a new trade union was notified by the Labour Ministry to the management of the Siembra Nueva pineapple plantation in Los Rios province. 71 of the 300 or so workers at this plantation took the decision to form a trade union and Special Committee (empowered to negotiate with the company) after two months of intensive education and training sessions by organisers and legal staff from FENACLE. The company produces fresh pineapples for Dole-Ubesa.
As is the case with most plantation workers, the employees of Siembra
Nueva have been rotated every six months from one labour
sub-contracting firm to another. FENACLE has unearthed 10 phantom
sub-contracting company names used to avoid any legal obligations
towards the workers. New legislation voted by the Constituent Assembly
on 1st May however, means that the employer will be obliged to contract
the workers directly.
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