Colombian Flower Workers Gain Another Victory!

Colombian flower workers affiliated to the independent union organization UNTRAFLORES won their fourth collective bargaining agreement in less than 18 months when the ASOPAPAGAYO union signed its first collective agreement with the company Agricola Papagayo on Thursday April 23rd, 2009 after months of negotiations. 

Less than a year ago, ASOPAPAGAYO (then known as SINTRAPAPAGAYO) struggled for official government recognition as a union with ongoing setbacks in its registration. Nevertheless, with constant organization and struggle, the union has now won a contract that includes not only increased annual raises, food subsidies and other benefits, but also retroactive pay for the benefits that were denied to union members throughout the negotiation process.

"I feel good," said Amanda Camacho, president of ASOPAPAGAYO, "Even the Human Resources representative of the company told us we had earned her respect. Now we need to keep working toward the reinstatement of the four union members that were fired during the negotiations process."

Ms. Camacho began a two-week speaking tour in the U.S. on April 28th, starting in Chicago with USLEAP.

Earlier, UNTRAFLORES unions won contracts at the Splendor, Fragancia and Santa Barbara plantations, the first independent unions to win contracts in Colombia's flower sector.