Largest Latin American Banana Union on Strike in Colombia

Seventeen thousand workers from the banana plantations on the Northern coast of Colombia, represented by SINTRAINAGRO, the National Agricultural Industry Workers Union, went on strike on May 8. The strike came after SINTRAINAGRO, the largest union in Colombia and the largest banana union in the world, was unable to reach agreements on the topics named in its list of demands for a new collective agreement for 2009-2011 in negotiations with a collective of banana companies for the past month.

In the list of demands, SINTRAINAGRO is asking for a 15% pay increase for the first year and 5% more than the nationally established inflation rate for the second year, that bonuses and benefits that exceed the legal requirements increase at the same rate as their salaries as mandatory benefits do, and the creation of a reparations fund for victims and families of victims of the armed conflict.

SINTRAINGRO argues that these raises are only fair given that they work 10 to 14 hour days and national standards are based on an urban, 8-hour workday.

Additionally, the union sees the reparations issue as key because armed groups have assassinated more than 800 workers since the 1980s and their families continue to suffer. A lawsuit filed in the U.S. in late April charges Dole with financing these armed groups and their murders of banana workers; Chiquita earlier paid a fine to the U.S. Department of Justice after reporting it funded armed groups in Colombia. 

This strike is supported in Colombia by the country's largest union central, the CUT, as well as Senator Robledo, from the Democratic Pole party, among others. SINTRAINAGRO has called on President Uribe to intercede to end the strike.

Colombia is one of the largest banana exporters in the world, shipping about half of its exports to the U.S. and producing directly or indirectly for Chiquita, Dole, and Del Monte as well as Colombian brands.