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Workers often live in housing provided by the plantation owners but this can be of very poor quality, particularly the accommodation provided for single men. Plantations are often located far from nearby towns and offer few amenities for the workers and families that live on the plantations. Workers and their families living on plantations are also vulnerable to the impacts of pesticide use: it is estimated that a high percentage of chemicals aerially sprayed onto crops from planes are lost and end up on plantation housing or even outside the plantation where people are living. In addition water from the pack houses can be recycled without adequate sanitation for domestic use on the plantations. Documents and Resources Available from Banana Link Race to the Bottom: Banana Workers’ Rights in Ecuador 24 page A4 booklet describing the conditions that Ecuador’s 250,000 banana workers face. It describes how companies are relocating production and sourcing in a quest to supply the rich consumer markets with the ‘cheapest’ possible bananas. As the publication uncovers, ‘cheap’ comes at a high price for the workers. (£3 plus p&p). Los Alamos "I don't like unions. I will fight them" A short film telling the story of what happened to banana workers on the Los Alamos plantation in Ecuador when workers decided to organise and strike to gain basic labour rights. This unique eyewitness account of the strike and the response of the plantation owner, Ecuador's richest man. Running time 9 mins. Available in DVD or VHS format. English/Spanish. (£5 plus p&p). Bonita: Ugly Bananas A documentary version of the Los Alamos story. Suitable for all audiences interested in human and labour rights. Running time 23 mins. Available in DVD or VHS in English/Spanish.(£10 plus p&p). Race to the Bottom CD-ROM A PowerPoint presentation with photos of workers and conditions on Ecuador's banana plantations including a violent attack on workers in May 2002. (£2.50 plus p&p). Further Reading Trade union delegation visits to Costa Rica reports March and October 2004
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