Working Towards A Fair & Sustainable Banana & Pineapple Trade
  • Newsletters
  • Resources
  • Video
  • Contact Us
Banana Link
  • What We Do
    Our ObjectivesOur AchievementsEUROBANWorld Banana ForumRethinking Value ChainsInternational Alliance for Sustainable Family FarmingMeet The TeamWork for us
  • Why We Exist
    All About BananasThe Problem With BananasGood Practices In The Banana IndustryAll About PineapplesSustainability Standards & Certifications
  • Where We Work
    CameroonColombiaCosta RicaDominican RepublicEcuadorGhanaGuatemalaHondurasPeruThe PhilippinesWindward Islands
  • Our Projects
    BananEx (TR4)Banana Occupational Health and Safety Initiative (BOHESI)Education & Empowerment In West AfricaGender Equity Across Supply ChainsImproving & Increasing Women’s EmploymentMake Fruit Fair
  • Trade Unions
    Union-To-Union ProgrammeGMB International Solidarity FundCOLSIBACameroonColombiaCosta RicaDominican RepublicEcuadorGhanaGuatemalaHondurasPeru
  • Gender Equity
    Women In The Banana TradeWorld Banana Forum & Gender EquityPractical Progress to Gender EquityGender Equity Across Supply ChainsImproving & Increasing Women’s Employment
  • News & Blog
  • Donate

Costa Rican industry places burden on workers over Covid-19

Friday, March 20th, 2020 in: News

The private sector in Costa Rica is putting its weight behind legislation in the Parliament that would cut working days by 50% or even 75%. The Covid-19 emergency is being used to try and push through laws that the industry has been trying to promote for some time, making working hours and therefore remuneration much more flexible.

Public sector and private sector workers’ unions, including SITRAP that has members across the banana and pineapple industry, have denounced the total lack of consultation over such measures and point out that employers being allowed to cut hours at will would “violate wage protection legislation and the constitutional rights for all workers to earn a wage that covers basic needs“.

As the unions said in a joint statement on the eve of the debate in the Parliament: “This bill, far from giving us a solution to the problem facing the country, will only aggravate the situation, since it transfers the risks facing companies to their workers, when the crisis is the fault of neither party. In the face of such a crisis, it is the workers who are the most vulnerable and therefore require the most protection from the State.“

The bill was indeed voted without any significant changes on Saturday 21st March. As feared, it does not contemplate any compensatory measures in favour of workers whose livelihoods are affected by a reduction of their wages.

Meanwhile, in another major sector of the global economy, the textile and garment industry, leading civil society player Clean Clothes Campaign has produced a short charter suggesting minimum measures that companies in the sector can take in the current crisis:



Sources: SITRAP and ANEP, Costa Rica, 18/03/20; Clean Clothes Campaign, Amsterdam

Photo: SITRAP

Recent Posts

  • Peruvian farm workers’ and farmers’ organisations reject agribusiness friendly tax reforms
  • Panama banana workers’ union government talks bring agreement to end Chiquita strike  
  • Blog: A just transition in agriculture: putting workers at the centre
  • Plantation workers among those whose rights have collapsed across the world
  • Panama strike latest: Chiquita announces mass sackings of striking workers
  • Panama banana workers to continue strike at Chiquita despite threats
  • ILO programme provides impetus to work towards Living Wages for plantation workers
  • Fifteen workers poisoned on Costa Rica pineapple farm
  • Costa Rica closes in on ratification of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment as we mark May Day
  • New centre to strengthen workers’ rights through human rights due diligence laws

Categories

  • Banana Trade Blog
  • News

More News
From Banana Link

13th June 2025 Peruvian farm workers’ and farmers’ organisations reject agribusiness friendly tax reforms

12th June 2025 Panama banana workers’ union government talks bring agreement to end Chiquita strike  

6th June 2025 Blog: A just transition in agriculture: putting workers at the centre

Get Involved

Newsletter
Donate
Contact Us
Banana Link  

51 Colegate
Norwich
NR3 1DD
United Kingdom

Navigation

  • Home
  • About Us
  • All About Bananas
  • All About Pineapples
  • Trade Unions
  • Gender Equity
  • News & Blog
  • Our Partners
  • Our Projects
  • Newsletters
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settings Read More
ACCEPTREJECT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT