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Historic Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in Costa Rica

14th January 2019 in: News

SITRAP (Union of Agricultural Plantation Workers) which represents tropical fruit workers in Costa Rica, with a presence in over 40 banana and pineapple plantations, last week signed an historic Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Bandeco, the wholly owned subisidiary of the transnational fruit company Fresh Del Monte, at its Duacari 4 plantation near Guápiles, Costa Rica.
 
This is the first new CBA signed between an independent trade union and a multinational fruit brand since the industry and powerful allies launched an onslaught that nearly wiped the unions off the map 35 years ago at the height of the Cold War in Central America. The agreement signed on 10 January in San José has a series of important clauses giving worker representatives in the plantation the time and facilities to meet amongst themselves freely and to present grievances and new ideas to the management through regular dialogue.
 

Photo: SITRAP negotiators Geilyn Arriola Araya and Eduardo Monge Gradamus signing the CBA (SITRAP)

 

Although the context of unsustainable low prices paid for this year’s purchases by at least one major European buyer mean there is little room for manoeuvre at local level to improve piece rates and therefore wages this year, SITRAP has nonetheless secured some better piece rate deals for its men and women members for whom every 100 colones ($0.17) counts. 

SITRAP are particularly grateful for the support of both the UNISON and GMB trade unions in the UK. This support for training and education in particular has enabled them to increase their membership and strengthen their organising capacity. 
 
 

Photo: The SITRAP negotiating team (SITRAP)

 

The union is also optimistic that the signing of this CBA bodes well for organised workers being able to negotiate similar CBAs at other plantations owned by multinational and national fruit companies in Costa Rica. Historically, for all but the first decade of its existence as an organisation, SITRAP has operated in a hostile environment with employers, large companies and labour legislation that challenges the freedom of association.  This is why members and the union’s leadership see this as a critical breakthrough after several years of patient education, organising and dialogue with the company.
 
Costa Rica is the biggest supplier of pineapples and third largest exporter of bananas to the UK market. The signing of this CBA is also a significant step forward in a country where most of the lowest paid tropical fruit workers still fail to earn enough to cover basic household costs while their fundamental labour rights, such as the freedom to join a trade union, have not been respected. 
 
 

Acuerdo de negociación colectiva histórico firmado en Costa Rica

14th January 2019 in: News

SITRAP (Sindicato de Trabajadores de Plantaciones Agrícolas), que representa a los trabajadores de la fruta tropical en Costa Rica y con presencia en más de 40 plantaciones de plátano y piña, firmó la semana pasada un acuerdo de negociación colectiva histórico (ANC) con Bandeco, la subsidiaria controlada en su totalidad por la multinacional de la fruta Fresh Del Monte, en su plantación Duacari 4 cerca de Guápiles, en Costa Rica.
 
Este acuerdo es el primer ANC firmado por un sindicato independiente y una marca multinacional de la fruta desde que la industria y sus socios influyentes iniciaran un ataque violento que casi hizo desaparecer a los sindicatos del mapa hace 35 años, en el momento cumbre de la Guerra Fría en América Central. El acuerdo firmado el 10 de enero en San José contiene una serie de cláusulas importantes que conceden a los representantes de los trabajadores en las plantaciones el tiempo y la infraestructura para reunirse con libertad y presentar quejas e ideas nuevas a la dirección por medio de un diálogo periódico.
 

Foto: negociadores de SITRAP Geilyn Arriola Araya y Eduardo Monge Gradamus firmando el ANC (SITRAP)

Aunque el contexto de precios tan bajos que son insostenibles pagados por las adquisiciones de este año por al menos uno de los mayores compradores europeos implica que haya poco margen de maniobra a nivel local para mejorar este año los precios unitarios y, consecuentemente, los salarios, SITRAP ha conseguido garantizar algunos acuerdos sobre precios unitarios mejores para sus miembros, para los que incluso 100 colones ($0.17) son importantes.
 
SITRAP está especialmente agradecido por el apoyo de los sindicatos GMB y UNISON en el Reino Unido. Este apoyo, especialmente en formación y educación, les ha permitido elevar el número de miembros y reforzar su capacidad de organización.
 

Foto: El equipo de negociación de SITRAP (SITRAP)

El sindicato también cree que la firma de este ANC es un buen augurio para que los trabajadores sindicalizados puedan negociar ANC parecidos en otras plantaciones que pertenezcan a multinacionales y compañías nacionales de la fruta en Costa Rica. Históricamente, y excepto en la primera década de su existencia como organización, SITRAP se ha desenvuelto en un entorno hostil con patronos, grandes compañías y una legislación laboral que supone un reto para la libertad de asociación. Es por ello que sus miembros y los líderes del sindicato ven esto como un avance crítico tras muchos años de educación, organización y diálogo paciente con la compañía.

Costa Rica es el mayor proveedor de piñas al mercado del Reino Unido, y el tercer exportador de plátanos. La firma de este ANC también es un paso adelante significativo en un país en el que la mayor parte de los trabajadores de la fruta peor pagados aún no ganan lo suficiente para cubrir gastos básicos del hogar, mientras sus derechos laborales fundamentales, como la libertad de afiliarse a un sindicato, no han sido respetados.

 
Video: 700 trabajadores agrícolas engalanaron histórica asamblea de SITRAP

 
 
https://vimeo.com/238548150?loop=0

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