ACT NOW: Violence at Colombian Flower Plantation!

Thugs entered the Guacarí flower plantation in Colombia yesterday and suppressed striking workers. In response to increasing violence and financial pressure, every permanent Guacarí flower worker resigned and was replaced by subcontracted labor. Strikes continue on at least three other Floramerica-Sunburst plantations.

Take action now!

Yesterday, as USLEAP was sending out its action alert in support of striking workers at Colombian flower plantations, Floramerica-Sunburst reportedly sent thugs and subcontracted workers into the Guacarí plantation in Zipaquira, Colombia, near Bogotá. Only one day before, company representatives met with Guacarí’s union, Untraflores and Sintraguacarí, and the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection to begin negotiations.

As a result of the violence and financial pressure, every single permanent worker at Guacarí resigned yesterday, December 1. Workers went on strike on November 16 to protest the failure of the company to pay salaries in more than a month and other benefits, including transportation stipends, health, and social security, for more than three. The November strike responded to the failure of the company to meet the promises it had made during the initial strike beginning on September 18, 2010.

Now is the time to stand in solidarity with flower workers in Colombia and increase pressure against Floramerica-Sunburst, a company that failed to compensate its plantation workers in the month of November, continues to disregard Colombian labor law, and is now using thugs and violence.

Act now! Tell Sunburst Farms, the U.S.-based distributor of Floramerica, that its support of violence and union busting at Guacarí and other plantations is completely unacceptable. Urge the Minister of Social Protection to take swift action against Floramerica-Sunburst and demand the protection of Colombian flower workers.

For more information, see the December 1 action alert and USLEAP's flower worker and economic justice page.