Fragancia Flower Workers Backed into a Corner

New obstacles have sprung up for workers at Dole ’s Fragancia flower plantation, where workers have been fighting for a contract for two years. As of early last fall, over half of the workers on the farm were reportedly members of Untrafragancia, the independent union at the plantation, giving them the right to engage in sole negotiations with the company. But Dole delayed action on the union’s request for negotiations for two months during which time the union suffered attrition in part to anti-uunion maneuvering. In November, after the union’s numbers were below 50%, Dole requested a census from the

Dora Acero, a worker at the La Fragancia flower plantation, will be on tour in the Midwest this April.

Colombian Ministry of Social Protection; in December, Dole wrote USLEAP to dispute the union’s majority status.

In January,the flower industry moved into the high season, when temporary workers are hired en masse to deal with heightened production quotas. These workers will be included in the census when it is carried out, making it impossible for Untrafragancia to secure over 50% of the plantation’s workers.

A company-friendly union, Sinaltraflor, is also present at the plantation and holds the current contract, which includes almost no benefits for workers above the legal minimums. As Sinaltraflor has repeatedly refused to negotiate jointly, the workers will have to negotiate at two separate tables, where it is easy for the company to take advantage of a division between the workers and prevent the negotiation of a fair
contract.

Sinaltraflor was also used by Dole to block the independent union drive at the Splendor plantations. Sinaltraflor's business-friendly orientation has been underscored by its lobbying for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, a position opposed by 90% of the Colombian trade union movement.