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Fruit groups attacked over workers' rights. Apr 25,
2002. By Nicholas Moss.
The US's big fruit companies and exporters will come under fire today
from the country's largest human rights organisation.
Chiquita Brands, Del Monte Fresh Produce and Dole Food are blamed for
the abuse of plantation workers because of their failure to demand respect
for labour rights by their Ecuadorean banana suppliers.
Along with Noboa, owned by Alvaro Noboa, a candidate in Ecuadorean presidential
elections, and Ecuadorean-owned Favorita Fruit, they dominate the world trade
in bananas.
The five companies are accused by Human Rights Watch (HRW) of selling
bananas from suppliers who employ children and routinely flout worker health
and safety considerations.
Its report, Tainted Harvest: Child Labour and Obstacles to Organising
on Ecuador's Banana Plantations, documents the labour abuses in Ecuador,
the world's largest banana-exporting country.
Ecuador's biggest customer is the US, although the Andean nation has been
lobbying for greater access to European markets.
"Children as young as eight work long hours in extremely hazardous conditions
and adults fear being fired if they try to organise," the report says.
The Ecuadorean government's own controls are limited. It employs just
13 labour inspectors along its entire coastal region. The maximum fine for
violating child labour laws is Dollars 200.
Chiquita, Del Monte and Dole, the world's biggest banana companies, are
among those accused of "facilitating abuses by failing to demand respect
for labour rights on their suppliers' plantations".
The three US companies said they complied with Ecuadorean law, monitored
labour conditions and would allow freedom of association on their directly-owned
plantations. However, only Dole has its own small plantation in Ecuador,
while Chiquita and Del Monte exclusively use third-party suppliers.
HRW wants public pressure to convince Del Monte, Dole and Chiquita to
ensure and monitor labour rights practices throughout their supply chains.
It also wants to put pressure on Ecuador's labour minister to enforce
and improve existing legislation.