Fyffes accused of disrespecting plantation workers' rights
Fyffes accused of disrespecting plantation workers' rights
Irish banana firm criticised by trade union over allegations of serious mistreatment of its Central American workers
Rob Davies
Thursday 11 February 2016 13.53 EST
The Dublin-based banana company Fyffes has been accused of having “no respect” for workers’ rights, amid allegations that staff on Central American fruit plantations are being serially mistreated.
The GMB trade union called for Fyffes to be thrown out of the Ethical Trade Initiative, which promotes labour rights, over reports of abuses by subsidiaries in Costa Rica and Honduras.
In one case, 14 workers on a melon plantation, which is 60%-owned by Fyffes’ subsidiary Suragroh were allegedly hospitalised after being poisoned by noxious chemicals.
The GMB said the female workers had not been given safety gear to protect them while handling fruit. It said workers had also reported that they were not being paid the minimum wage, were denied extra pay for overtime and Sundays and were not given public holidays.
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/11/fyffes-accused-disrespecting-workers-rights
