Dole, behind the smoke screen 

Dole, plantations in behind the An investigation into Dole’s smoke screen… smoke C o o r d i n a t i o n and writing This document is based on a number of contributions, reports and Maude Feral (Peuples Solidaires), Helge Fischer (Banafair), Jesper Nielsen (3F), testimonies from people on the ground, people working in the Alistair Smith (Banana link) and assistance from plantations, trade unionists and environmentalists, mainly in Latin Stephen Coats (US/LEAP). American banana exporting countries and on a combination of D e s i g n Patrick Lescure independent research, public materials, and company documents. C o p y r i g h t s Peuples Solidaires, Banana Link, CTM, COSIBA-CR, FENACLE, We would particularly like to thank the following trade unions : UNTRAFLORES, Alan Irvine FENACLE (), COSIBA-CR, SITRAP and SITAGAH (Costa Rica) and Florian Coat. for the testimonies provided on these two countries.

This document has been produced with the support of the European Union. The contents can, in no way, be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. Dole, behind the smoke screen…

An investigation into Dole’s banana plantations in Latin America  Dole, behind the smoke screen C andflowers: a feeling ofdéjàvu C stage regime: lobbying atevery andtheEUbanana import Dole C justapublic relations exercise?SA 8000certification: C Banana workers’ dailyhazards healthandsafety: C Environmental denying responsibility impacts: C Trade unionandworkers’ inthebananaplantations rights C The world’s biggestfruitcompany C I Table ofcontents t c u d o r t n s u l c n o r e t p a h r e t p a h r e t p a h r e t p a h r e t p a h r e t p a h r e t p a h 2 1 7 6 5 4 3 i n o i n o ...... 34 32 29 27 23 20 11 8 5 Introducing and its banana business  Dole, behind the smoke screen own literature leadsthereader to believe that D environment. The company claims-to European importers highlabourstandardsensuring andrespectingthenatural citizensof themostadvancedcorporate whenitcomesto Indeed, thereIndeed, areofexamples ofthecompany’s plenty the claim. companies, there to islittle evidence support where operate. they However, incommonwithmostother guaranteed intheConstitution orlabourlaw ofthecountries to bargaining, collective of associationandtheright as and buyers, for example-thatitrespectsthefreedom its socialandenvironmental standards. The company’s ole Food Co. introduction to thenew Letter David CEO/President from Murdock, Mr of culture”. hosts. Theseprinciplesareintegraltoourcompany our employees,suppliersandcountry endeavour todowhatisrightforourcustomers, operate, aswemustdo.We alsomustcontinueto regulations ofeachandeverycountrywherewe people. We respectandcomplywiththelaws for ourhighregardandfairtreatmentof dealings, forourrespecttheenvironment,and reputation forethicalconductinallofourbusiness “As acompany, wehavelongenjoyedacoveted is a company that likes to pride itselfon to isacompany pride thatlikes Dole Code (2004). ofConduct Dole isone Dole - what happenson theground insideplantations. However, convinced many whohave noaccess to information about Dole social responsibility. retailimporters, buyers andconsumersthatitisachampionof 8000 standard, giving itanothertool withwhichto convince Social haveto the Accountability recently beencertified Additionally, most fungicides. government to laws weaken controlling spraying of theaerial incidents, butthere thatthecompany isevidence haslobbied has thecompany beenimplicated inavoidable pollution companies withtheworst environmental records. Notonly As from evidence shows, Costa Rica environmentalabsolutely nothingaboutactual performance. company to identifypotential environmental hazards.says It only refers to themanagementsystem inplacewithina buyers, initiallyinEurope, demandedit.However, thestandard to thisstandardCompanies have because beencertified issues istheenvironmental managementstandard ISO14001. andotherfruitto aboutsuch customers concerned One oftheinstrumentsin oftheirsocialresponsibilityclaims.monitoring unwillingness to allow independentpublicandtradeunion

’s smoke-screen of double-speak and certifications has ’s andcertifications ofdouble-speak smoke-screen Dole bananaandpineappleplantations Dole ’s for sellingits armoury Dole isoneofthefruit Dole, behind the smoke screen  is an Dole ’s Latin American American Latin ’s Dole to change its practices in a more in a more change its practices to Dole operations around the world. around operations and the environment. well as to motivate motivate as to well rights sustainable direction workers’ with full respect for mainly in Latin American banana exporting countries. banana exporting American mainly in Latin countries. portrait of accurate a more to contribute Our is to aim as operations, the biggest single sector of the company’s This document is based on a number of contributions of contributions is based on a number document This people working in the the ground, people on from unionists and environmentalists, trade plantations, banana operations, although the authors believe that the that believe although the authors banana operations, of many is unfortunately representative picture painted Dole environmentally responsible citizen. responsible environmentally is of this document focus The bargaining as defined in international law. Nor should a few Nor should a international as defined in law. bargaining at the entrance zones along riverbanks and flowers buffer that visitor persuade the casual plantations to nobody should be left under the impression that this is a that this is be left should nobody impression under the and collective unions trade free welcomes which company  Dole, behind the smoke screen Banana containers on a ship belonging to the the to belonging ship a on containers Banana fruit company fruit biggest world’s The C r e t p a h

1 Dole fleet. Dole, behind the smoke screen  Dole annual 1 report - 2003.

come from its from come Dole 1 is vertically integrated. It is vertically integrated. Del Monte, and Chiquita left Venezuela and ,bananas buying stopped Venezuela left , like get its bananas from its own plantations, from plantations plantations from plantations, own its get its bananas from and CEO of the company, it is “opening up long-term “opening it is company, of the and CEO opportunities the short-term minimizing while pressure equities market”. of the public He of the richest is one men in the world. Murdock David historyalso has a long He was the of being anti-union. the in campaigns organising of one of the biggest target Mills textile at Cannon industry, in North U.S. Carolina. the workers’ over handed never He beat the union and as saying: he was quoted Last year pension money. the union and won…” “I fought Dole Nicaraguanfrom farmers and sold most of its plantations in on the country has focused the company with the , production costs: Ecuador. lowest Dole production, packaging, export,controls import shipping, and to verticalThis enables the company integration ripening. partabsorb added value of the product a greater of the total Dole other independent suppliers from and in which it has shares, Colombia, Ecuador, Rica, Honduras, in Costa Guatemala, IvoryCameroon, and – since early 2006 - the Coast, marketed bananas of 30% by Around Ghana. Of plantations. own companies, the big multinational banana Since plantations in Ecuador. its own have it is the only one to , its eternal rival. In, its eternal rival. Chiquita assets and de-listed the company Dole and Fyffes. started the virtual competing with of monopoly is a multinational food company that was founded in founded that was company food is a multinational as early as the 1920s. It as early as the 1920s. the challenger until the was Dole Chiquita is a wholly owned private company belonging to to belonging private company is a wholly owned

ole its to According pineapples. produce to in 1851

public this implies a lower level of transparency. For the For of transparency. level public this implies a lower chairman, himself as president who also presents owner, David H. Murdock and his family. Murdock completed completed Murdock and his family. H. Murdock David his acquisition of the in 2003. For Exchange Stock York the New from Dole the number three banana company in the European Union, European in the banana company the number three behind players. players. Chiquita leader and is become the world’s but has now end of 1990s, market. - the domination of nature Despite its oligopolistic the market banana a handful of big multinationals - the by market competition between the different is subject fierce to The company controls at least one quarter controls of the international company The banana market, of slightly ahead the US banana 36% of over have to 2005, it was estimated 36,000 workers seasonal workers. as 23,000 as well own annual reports it is the world’s leader in the production leader reports annual own it is the world’s It cut flowers. fresh and fruit, of fresh and trading employs and countries, 200 products in 90 than sells more D 10

Dole, behind the smoke screen who dependonthecompany for theirlivelihoods. towards workers thetens ofthousandsplantationandfarm means that inaddition,thisstrategy value chain,closerto theconsumer; sector. to control hasbecomemore theendof important It corresponds inthebalanceofpower tofarms ashift inthe production. The company’s withdrawal from owning itsown thelastfew years,In more lucrative thanproductionitself. whichhave activities and tobecome getprofits from service Source: 2005 Dole, worldwide. • 127millionbananasboxes (40lbs)soldeachyear of 18.14kg in2003. America • 27,000hectaresofbananaplantationsowned inLatin • Netsalesofbananasin2003:US$1,347million. Dole : Some figures… :Some Dole is able to shirk from isableto shirk itssocialresponsibilities Dole hasreduced itsinvolvement infruit C h a p t e r 2

Trade union and workers’ rights in the banana plantations

Workers on strike in the El Zapote (Ecuador – 2005). 12 See www.dole.See Policy”, of part Responsibility Responsibility 2 Dole, behind the smoke screen its Corporate Extract from Extract Dole’s “Labor statement Social Social com labour legislation and fundamentallabourrights. or commitmentto low enforcenotoriously capacity theirown andEcuador.banana trade:Costa Rica They are witha countries Two have countries become thecentre of today.number oftradeunionsinLatin America it istheoneofthree bigmultinationals withthelowest conditionsunderpressure. thebananaindustry, and working In company continuesto lower productioncosts, puttingwages have beeninformed aboutthecode. At thesametime, the Employees have to sign statement awritten to say thatthey bargain are collectively notmentionedinitscodeofconduct. I plantations. Workers’ to organise rights intradeunionsand n practice, representatives oftheirownchoosing”. are entitledtobargaincollectivelythrough in accordancewithapplicablelawsandregulations membership. Employeeswhohavechosenunions union ofhisorherchoicetorefrainfromsuch the freedomofindividualworkertojoin its workersliveandwork.[….] of livingcommensuratewiththesocietiesinwhich workers andtheirfamiliestohaveagoodstandard competitive withinitsindustryandthatallow “ Dole Dole payswagesandbenefitsthatare supports an anti-union policy in nearly allits innearly ananti-unionpolicy supports Dole Dole ’s inthe activities

respects 2 In Costa Rica, many observers andunionsrepresentatives many Costa observers Rica, areIn enough to almostregardless work ofwagesandconditions. desperate(many ofthemfrom Nicaragua) neighbouring insecure, asthere isalways aqueueofpoorimmigrant workers israrelywhich meansthat,ineffect, paid. Jobs areovertime are paidbylong. workers piece-rate, Plantation andpackhouse too low hoursare to cover extremely basicneedsandworking policies implemented by difficult. Theseconditions are made worse bytheanti-union conditionsinthebananaplantationsare very The working independent plantations and buysfrom dozen anothertwo Dole for 40,000hectaresofplantations. direct jobsandabout60,000indirect representsbananas dedicated to about40,000 export with around tradein2005. 14%ofworld The production of istheworld’sCosta Rica ofbananas secondbiggestexporter l Costa :keeping Rica badcompany the previous year. were from Monte 30toanexample setby Del 40%lower; dayoffering withwagesthat themthenext to re-hire laidoffallits 2000,Dole workforce, October In owns some30plantationsthere Dole and its sub-contractors. anditssub-contractors. Wages are

Guatemala Mexique Salvador

Costa Rica

Honduras Belize Nicaragua Panama Colombie Dole, behind the smoke screen 13

See box on See box Solidarismo Ricain Costa page 19 is And «What Solidarismo? RicanCosta style union-busting» Want/ on War by Banana Link, 2003. Available on www. bananalink. org.uk 3

Dole in the 1980s. But in the 1980s. UTRAL or (independent plantation (independent plantation UTRAL SITAGAH and and Dole SITAGAH

respectively), seven collective bargaining agreements were were agreements collective seven bargaining respectively), between signed the the unions from remove the multinational managed to and set up get rid of the collectiveplantations, agreements has been no There the employers. favouring a system the for Rica collectiveagreement a labour Costa with in plantation been have agreements All collective bargaining last two decades. the that favour arrangements” “direct these so-called by replaced and the solidarista movement. company solidarista associations fulfil is to ensure that the workers that the solidaristaensure to elected fulfil is associations trade unionists. not the permanent are to committees Another key instrument of the Costa Rican smoke-screen is the «arreglo directo» -“direct arrangement”.literally,This instrument, although provided for in the Labour Code, is used as a pseudo-agreement drawn up by company management setting out employment terms, working conditions and piece-rates. are then“arreglos” Theserubber-stamped by the permanent committee members and presented to the outside world as being synonymous with free collective bargaining. However, in practice, workers have little or no input into the terms of these agreements, there is no negotiation as such, and workers have no mechanisms for the expression of grievances. to According de Estrella Valle and of Sarapiqui unions in the regions workers’ . Dole . These associations are part associations are These of a . 3 enjoys influence at influence every enjoys the state: of level Dole Sindicatos – trade unions - are painted as the ideological enemy, enemy, as the ideological painted – trade unions - are Sindicatos A further as the work of the devil. even important that these role and leisure activities, have been turned into the eyes and ears been turned the eyes into activities, have and leisure signs any monitor of management. One of their main jobs is to or joining independent trade unions. in forming of interest - as an instrument for ridding the - as an instrument for of the which solidaristaThe associations, independent trade unions. well as sportingworkers as scheme and credit a savings offer The solidarista movement was promoted heavily in the first half heavily was promoted solidaristaThe movement America in Central of the 1980s - at the height of the cold war national movement - solidarismo - which receives very - solidarismo receives - which generous national movement financial backing companies like from the plantation administration and management employ an and management employ the plantation administration the instrument is influence these committees: instrument to the «solidarista» association permanentes» - permanent workers’ committees - elected by committees permanentes» - permanent workers’ in each workplace.all employees In plantations these banana workers. typically However, committees or five comprise three workers’ right to bargain collectively. right bargain to workers’ of «comités the formation Rican for allows Costa law and Social Security. The company also seems to enjoy de enjoy also seems to company The and Social Security. facto of the impunity non-enforcement its to when it comes trade unions and of organisation rightconstitutional the free to convinced that that convinced civil servants and judges, politicians, in the Ministry of Labour 14

Dole, behind the smoke screen issues or claiming that they can not interfere in their “internalpolicies affairs”. of its sub-contractors generally consists of ignoring the plantations. The multinational’s behaviour as regards the anti-unionThe situation is far from being any better in Sub-contractors ›› force him/herto leave. begin offor a memberoftheunion,efforts to lay the worker most repressive multinationals. becomes As soonasaworker For ofsolidarismo). supporter (although the industry isofficiallyencouraged of bymostsectors solidarismo and Repression oftradeunionmembersisstillthenorm

office andsign offhismembership of -andwastold andlunchmoney to gototicket theunion company’. One ofthemwasgiven aday off–as well asabus their wageslowered. They were called ‘enemies ofthe threatened withdismissal, beingblack-listed orwithhaving promoter. Alongwithmembersoftheirfamilies, were they 2005. The unionmemberswere visited by asolidarista pushed to andNovember leave October theunionbetween recruiting members, 10new other unionistswere expelledor own (a plantationworkers’ unionintheregion ofSiquirres) inits Recently, Las Perlas plantations. Dole has acted to hasacted ‘dis-affiliate’ members from

Dole isprobably thebiggestsingle SITAGAH While SITRAP , Dole SITRAP Dole isoneofthe ’s suppliers succeededin . SITRAP mechanisms for dialogue. permanent such asthefreedom of association,theenvironment and issues to together work onseveral key parties binding thetwo this document. They proposed to to address, amongstotherissues, theviolationspresented in body, bananatradeunions coordinating 2005,theCosta Rican In ››  members ofthe800-strong work-force. oftactics, Despite thisarray 2005, fivewere unionactivists forced to quittheirunion. pressure Augustand During discrimination. and September of theirfamiliesare common,aswell asblack-listing, theunion. left members ifthey Threats to lay offmembers other cases, were they In promised jobsfor theirfamily to hadto ahouse, prove workers theunion. hadleft they prepared to giveexchange for uptheunion.In thekeys for worker blackmail, exampleoffering ahouse every to used againstthetradeunion. have themethodsandstrategiesMany workers reported organising abiganti-unioncampaign ofitsown. by the plantations. quickly Butthecompany reacted very forto thefreedom intervene ofassociationto begranted in campaign waslaunchedin2002.had The LabourMinistry group, the In COSIBA-CR Carrandi plantations Dole ’s aunionisation biggestsub-contractor), , calledonthemultinational, atnational level, SITRAP (belonging to the Acon Dole stillhasaround 100 used bribery and usedbribery Dole a written agreement awritten didnotsign an Acon

Dole, behind the smoke screen 15 Venezuela Colombie Pérou - Équateur Dole decided to to decided

COSIBA-CR , citing four main reasons: reasons: main four , citing Dole , in spite of verbal agreements to the contrary, had the contrary, to of verbal agreements , in spite participate encourage its suppliers to to refused supplier plantations. Dole Dole ’s biggest single producing and trading biggest single producing ’s in the Ecuadorian industry banana has invested because already spread the news that a framework agreement was was the news that a framework agreement spread already thus taking of the advantage being signed, commercial dialogue. plantations of a change of policyowned and improved and trade union rights. workers’ respect for rights in intervene the violations of workers’ help stop to Dole the Labour Ministry by convened in conciliation meetings concerning in those supplier alleged labour violations plantations. Ecuador: unfair competition Ecuador: l Dole in Ecuador. operation is now Dole banana production costs in Latin has the lowest Ecuador partlyThis the country explains why America. has doubled its the plantations. So, in February 2006, 2006, in February So, the plantations. with negotiations halt to call a That 1) had been no practical in there demonstration That 2) to whatsoever no will had been demonstrated That 3) That 4) COSIBA- the exposed area and unlimited and unremunerated and unremunerated and unlimited the exposed area overtime. committee list between 15 new 10 and committee health and safety of the most serious issues are Two or other problems. while workers still in fungicides) aerial are (of spraying basic needs of their families. basic needs of their families. workers’ the Each month, when they visit the plantations, to 4pm. The average monthly wage is 120,000 colones, colones, monthly wage is 120,000 average The 4pm. to that they estimate Workers 240 (200 euros). that is US$ the cover between need US$500 to US$320 and would Working in a banana plantation Working In working 5am the Carrandi plantations, from hours are . The company made no follow-up or undertakingmade no follow-up company The of on any . leaving the solidarista movement and its promoters free to to free and its promoters the solidaristaleaving movement conduct their particular warfare of psychological inside form At the end of JanuaryAt working proposed 2006, the company of giving which, instead another agreement towards mean would and independent unions, free to room legitimate CR the unions. by presented the requests agreement in 2005, despite a series in 2005, despite of meetings with agreement 16 index.htm ecuador0905/ business/ backgrounder/ org/ 5 ecuador/ reports/2002/ www.hrw.org/ 4 http://hrw. See Dole, behind the smoke screen plantations supplying average on ageat which thesechildren beganworking three onplantationsproducing sporadicallyfor producing foron plantationsprimarily stated that,atsome time, hadworked they thirty-two spoke, “...of children with whom theforty-five childlabour at Concerning hours, aswell aslowworking wages. systematic violationsofthefreedom ofassociation,exhausting intheplantations.children worked alsodenounced The report laws and caused ascandalby giving thatmany evidence Rights Watch respects, 2002by Human publishedinApril illegal. Areport in thebananaplantationsisunacceptableand, inmany From atradeunionandsocialpointofview, thesituation account foractivities 200,000 between and 250,000 direct jobs. bananas tradedinternationally. Bananaproductionandexport the world’s biggestexporter, withalmostathird ofalldessert over thelast20years.exports Ecuador isnow farandaway of its Latin American bananascomefromof itsLatinAmerican thiscountry. andone third company (Dole-Ubesa) biggest exporting ownsnow thesecond owns some19plantations. It to buyplantationsinEcuador in2002and started Dole 4 denouncedviolationsofthenationallabour Dole wasapproximately eleven and Dole plantations, the report said: plantations, thereport Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Dole andanadditional Dole . The

is stilltoo low to producers enablemostEcuadorian to pay bananas imposed by paid by thegovernment, the price Although ofenforcementterms by theLaborMinistry littlehasimprovedRepresentative concludedthatvery in petition fromrights in into have education, under-age workers beenfound recently theissueandencouragechildrennational forum to tackle Although business information, which that information regarding theserelationships is ‘proprietary relationshipscontractual withtheseplantations, WatchHuman Rights that impededtheirenjoyment oflaborrights. Although with ‘permanent temporary’ had they arrangements contracting Balao. adultsalsotold Several of plantsofone inthepacking hadexperienced harassment they the sexual Three alsodescribed oftheyoung girlsinterviewed attended school. nolonger tothat violated health,andthemajority theirright ofthechildren,Most asdescribed, labored inconditions atagenine.a half,atageeightandtwo starting withtwo Dole Dole Dole supplierplantations. ASeptember 2005worker ’s suppliers-theplantationgroup LasFincas primary in suppliers or subcontractors hired suppliersorsubcontractors by thosesuppliers Dole Dole respects the minimum official price per respectstheminimumofficial box of andotherbananacompanieshave setupa Human Rights WatchHuman Rights wrote to Dole Human Rights WatchHuman Rights Dole doesnotpubliclydisclose’.” to confirm thecompany’s to confirm to theUS Trade 5 . Dole aboutthe asserted asserted Dole

Dole, behind the smoke screen 17

st and its sub- ’s suppliers, a suppliers, ’s

Dole Dole one of and none in the plantations and none in the plantations Dole , because attempts to organise trade unions are trade unions are organise to , because attempts Dole El Zapote plantation, El Zapote hundred workers have been on strike for months. On 3 been on strike workers months. hundred have for October 2005, 136 workers the founding signed who had entering from barred document of the trade union were They a strikeThey declared on 7 October. their workplace. against the dismissal of 98 workers after protesting are of the new trade union. On the night of 21 the creation October evicted a 2005, the plantation workers by were been who had of 100 policemen and armed guards group management and the police. sent by In the  occupational hazards, rapid degradation of the environment, legal conflicts, armedrepression, child labour, denial of the right to social security (from plantation refusal owners’ to pay into Ecuador’s national health system the contributions deducted from wages), workers’ threats of dismissals, delays in paying wages, long working days and refusal to pay overtime, sexual harassment and other labour and human right violations that contradict the company’s own code of conduct and their SA 8000 certifications. In face just like to Rica, the unions, in Costa addition, have by implemented the anti-union policies unions at the independent trade few are There contractors. farms that supply producer by owned normally met with determined resistance. ›› , has been campaigning against suppliers have been forced into Dole FENACLE Workers who work for long struggles following labour violations, union persecution, Ministry has recognised the extent of the problem – which goes well beyond the banana sector – and has promised to legislate. trade union has become next to impossible.The trade union federation, this system since 2003; in recent months, the Labour less than 30, which is the required number to form a trade union. In this way the organisation of a workplace-based social protection or paid leave. Even the government now admits that these labour sub-contractors deliberately keep the number of workers employed by each one of them to “tercerizadoras”.Workers are now employed by these sub- contractors and not by the owner of the plantation.These workers have no job security at all and are not entitled to States.The casualisation and insecurity have increased because of the development of a whole semi-legal system of intermediary labour sub-contractors, the so-called Protection of workers’ and trade union rights in Ecuador is so weak that it has become an issue in the ongoing free trade negotiations between the country and the United hour workday, but this represents less than half of what is less than this represents but hour workday, basic needs. cover to required fair wages to the workers. The minimum wage in Ecuadorian wage minimum The the workers. to fair wages 12 to a 10 for (130 euros) per month is US$ 160 18

Dole, behind the smoke screen ›› ›› ››    and thecreation oftheunionhasbeen dropped. However,back. theunionleadershave not beenreinstated to haveplantation, whichenabled80workers theirjobs agreement wasreached withthemanagementof to hadtried off becausethey atradeunion.An form the In severance payments. had beensigned. They were to goandpickuptheir asked 2006, even thoughaprovisional agreement collective were workers barred from theplantationon23January the In the union’s registration document. whohad signed dismissingtheworkers company started andsetupaunion in2004,the their constitutionalright plantationsManuela onthe As soonasworkers owner.that particular welcome any more inany ofthefour belonging farms to officestating thathewasnot had beenseeninthefarm nearby feed histhree daughters andwife) to atanother seekwork forcedA former andstriker Zapote (inorder worker to Maria Elisaplantation,Maria Josefa plantation, Dole supplierwastold inMarch 2006thatamemo (allofthem 12 unionleadersand4other Tara DelSur, Francia and 120 workers were 120workers laid Dole suppliers)exercised ›› against thosewhowantto organise unionsare constant. Dole organisation issevere, especiallyonthePacific coastwhere Guatemala, thesuppressionIn ofany attempt atunion agreements.collective in Hondurasare Dole where inLatinAmerica The situationinmostothercountries l ›› The rest ofLatin America: few bright spots   sabotaging production. The plantationswere later soldoff. the legaladviserofworkers. into ordering thearrest oftradeunionrepresentatives and escalated coastalprovincein theCaribbean It ofIzabal. union representatives were fired from the An unresolved goesback to 1998,whentrade labourconflict plantationswhoareand SanJosé all successful inthecaseof Vizcaya, Primavera, Párame, intheprovinceunions onfarms ofGuayas, have been spite ofemployers’In resistance, recentto efforts form sources large quantitiesofbananas. Threats ofviolence isnobetter. hasplantationsand/orsub-contractors Only Dole -owned plantationsunionisedandwith -owned Dole accusedthemof Dole Dole suppliers. plantations Dole, behind the smoke screen 19 ) had COSIBA-CR particular type of democracy starting are met with scepticism. be to “What is Extracted a leaflet from Solidarismo? Rican Costa style union- Banana Link and published by busting”, in 2003. Want on War associations do not meet the associations association. ‘free of requirements of ‘black list’ the despite Since 2001, workers that is circulated ‘union-friendly’ - and despite all banana employers by constant sackings of union members and a vast array of other tactics used by frighten people off the to employers member organisations unions - the four Rican of Costa of the Coordination ( Unions Workers’ Banana started make to gains in membership. all the odds loaded against them for With efforts it seems that the the last 20 years, workersof solidarismo convince that to trade unionism is part of a dangerous very undermine Rica’s plot to Costa ) have shelled out ) have Dole independent trade unions in the banana has ILO The industry Rica. in Costa specifically ruled that solidarista The movement was given an early boost was given movement The a twowhen it was openly handed million the US Embassy US dollar cheque from in San José in 1982. conference at a press likeSince then, companies Bandeco (Del Monte) and ( Fruit Standard the work of millions of dollars for tens the last two of the Escuela Social over ‘peaceful buy to presumably decades, labour relations’. By the solidarismo the early 1990s, the had almost destroyed movement Funds for the campaign to win the hearts to the campaign for Funds of the banana plantation and minds a workers channelled through are known institution, Church Catholic as the (John Social Escuela Social Juan XXIII XXIII School). A central part message of the the School at is which workers receive that God whilst smiles on solidaristas, the work the devil. of trade unions are

individual or collective workers’ rights. rights. individual or collective workers’ associations do not engage the issues such as wages on core company and working conditions; nor do they grievances or defend address to attempt kept under management’s control. kept under management’s In between negotiations a contrast to the solidarista union and employers, workers’ association. Its ideology rejects workers’ conflict of any of interest the existence and workersbetween employers and it is ridding the economy of free trade trade of free ridding the economy unions. of A solidarista association is a legal form collective agreements across the across agreements collective and Solidarismo born was industry. into has been channelled its energy about creating an alternative to the to an alternative about creating workers’ plantation independent unions had trade the time, At unions. and strong almost 100% affiliation of multinational banana companies, banana companies, of multinational Rican the Costa the US Embassy, and a section of the government set hierarchy Church Catholic In the early 1980s, an unholy alliance an unholy alliance In 1980s, the early Solidarismo in Costa Rica Solidarismo in Costa C h a p t e r 3

Environmental impacts: denying responsibility

• Aerial spraying (top). • Waste generated as a result of intensive banana production (middle). • River pollution in Costa Rica, October 2001 (bottom). Dole, behind the smoke screen 21 See www. 6 dole.com

used for aerial used for trade union has gathered trade union has gathered Del Monte was lodged in an environmental was lodged in an environmental and SITRAP Dole

Dole . undertook 50 million colones (US$ pay to Dole Dole

A complaint against a conciliation was court. long procedure, a year After arranged between the Ministry and of the Environment In this reached. the multinational and an agreement conciliation, the restock to 115,000 / slightly less than 100,000 euros) the prevention facilitate in place to river and put a system the conciliation states However, of such pollution incidents. On 12 January 72 fungicide of Bravo litres 2003, 3,000 near Bataan airfield, system water the into from spread the planes where river Pacuare the pollution reached This operate. spraying and killed in of fish and other species that live thousands It and the river mouth also reached the river. from and feed Caribbean the reef off coast. the coral seriously affected the years, several For establish the evidence to and witnesses information, the union, to According who pollute. responsibility of those tank that a leak in a chemical by the pollution was caused belonged to

Pollution incidents are sadly common in Costa Rica. Very Rica.in Costa common sadly are incidents Pollution river cases of in several Dole been involved has recently, this country. pollution in ›› has declared has declared mostly come Dole Dole 6 to market huge volumes of bananas, Dole ’s programme for the environment makes for the environment programme ’s

that in the plantations they use sustainable plantations they that in the integrated pest practices such as agricultural management. Dole of risks, reducing for the prevention provision preventing pollution. waste and “The environment is not merely public relations public relations merely is not environment “The issue”. operation it is an issues, agricultural methods which depend on high levels of grown for export are produced using intensive

smaller, but in Costa Rica a typical but in Costa and Guatemala banana smaller, 250 hectares. plantation is over The bananas produced or marketed bananas produced by The hundred several plantations that cover ‘industrial’ large from some of their supplier farms are hectares each. In Ecuador, thereby generating economies of scale throughout the value chain. as well as the loss of biodiversity are amongst the major risks of this model of production.This industrial production system enables agro-industrial model, banana plantations use a wide range of agrochemical products and generate a large amount of waste.The pollution of land, water-courses and groundwater, B inputs. As well as using single-crop farming, according to an 22

nothing about the responsibility of Dole in the pollution ›› In the same year, the Madre de Dios river was of the Pacuare River; the company refused to admit its contaminated, causing the death of thousands of fish. responsibility. Dole repeatedly declared to the media that The research done by SITRAP led them to the Las Perlas it was exempt from any responsibility in that incident, plantations owned by Dole. Information on this incident and that it “wished to support this initiative and reaffirm its and the mention of the possible responsibility for the toxic commitment to produce in harmony with nature”. contamination was displayed on COLSIBA’s website. Dole immediately reacted and the head of the company’s legal In a written agreement proposed by SITRAP and then department in Costa Rica wrote to SITRAP asking for the negotiated with Dole in 2005, the company was scheduled information to be removed from the site. The tone of the to modernise the Bataan airfield in order to prevent letter was threatening and intimated that a legal action Dole, derrière l’écran de fumée any pollution of the waters nearby. This agreement was against the union was being considered. presented to Dole in July 2005, but the multinational never contacted the union again until a new case of contamination occurred on 22 November 2005, in the same area. The inhabitants of a village situated near the airstrip alerted the authorities to an ecological disaster: a “milky liquid” had spread into the waters of the canal and several animal species were found dead. The first evidence collected on the spot by SITRAP showed that it could be Dole’s responsibility. C h a p t e r 4

Banana workers’ health and safety: daily hazards

Demonstration led by women DBCP victims (top). Meeting of male and female DBCP victims in Costa Rica (bottom). 24 policy. environmental – chapter on conduct Code of 7 See Dole Dole See Dole, behind the smoke screen pesticides and aerial spraying.pesticides andaerial clothing thatis ill-adapted, and the recurrent exposure to dangerous itisfor themto there work becauseofprotective plantations -oritssub-contractors’ how -describing There are many accounts from in people whowork daily basisintheirworkplaces. whoarewiththeproductsona incontact and theworkers whoapplytheseproducts, their families health oftheworkers T detriment of the environment. It also seriously affects the alsoseriously oftheenvironment.detriment It he useoftoxic chemicalproductsisnotonlyto the European Union”. » Environmental ProtectionAgencyorbythe health orenvironmentalriskbytheUnitedStates any productbannedforreasonsofunacceptable applicable laws. with thepropercareandinaccordance only whenandwherenecessary, andalways plant diseases.We usecropprotectionproducts and culturalapproachestocontrollingpests management methodsthatemploybiological agricultural practicesandintegratedpest “In Dole ’s farmingoperations,weusesustainable Dole 7 willnotuse,anywhere, Dole ’s ››

products’. and diazinonappeared onthesamelistof ‘restricted use byrestricted theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2001, for example, theuseofchlorpyrifos wasseverely whoapplythemorare to exposedto workers them.In human healthandnature are properly communicated represent they risks nor themediumandlong-term to the otherhand, severely restricted. Neitherthe restrictions banned eitherintheUSorEU, someofthemare, on azoxystrobin andbitertanol. While theseproductsare not propiconazole,are tridemorph, benomyl, mancozeb, streak disease, themostcommonlyusedfungicides and imazalil;for spraying againstblack leaf- aerial are thiabendazole pesticides appliedinthepackhouses diazinon andchlorpyrifos, whilstthemostcommon are ofthemostcommonlyusedinsecticides Some In the In an excuse not to work. an excuse notto work. for theday, butthe management refused claimingthatitwas at thesametime. to be assignedThey asked to anothertask legs. Three months ago, four of them felt the same symptoms suffer from thesamesymptoms: migraine, nauseaandstiff apply thepesticidesto theclusters state regularly thatthey whoputthebagsonfruitand theworkers in Costa Rica Carrandi plantations

belonging to the Acon group Dole, behind the smoke screen 25 Studies were Studies were commissioned trade unions by by in Honduras, scientists from Rica, Costa IRET, and in Ecuador scientists by IFA. from 8 ? and its suppliers are no exception. On no exception. are suppliers and its Dole case: scandal, what scandal what case: scandal, p c b d is the company that is most heavily involved in the DBCP involved that is most heavily is the company The The scandal. Standard Fruit (the name of its Central American (the name of its Central Fruit Standard scandal. in Central user of the pesticide subsidiaries) the largest was America. In 1977, workers and their union at a manufacturing identified the first human , plant in Occidental, was banned product The sterility cases linked DBCP. to but cases became public, after the California in the U.S.A. major banana- of the three Two exports of DBCP continued. other, America to companies in Central switched producing Standard but, in the 1980s, nematicides, expensive more The plantations of plantations The rights a direct is of workers’ repression severe the contrary, of work accidents the prevention improving obstacle to of worker protection Without diseases. and work-related it is widely recognised “whistle-blowers”, and representatives expertsby remain continue to will that OHS problems unresolved. l killing used for pesticide which was nematodes DBCP is a toxic The plants. of banana in the soil and attack the roots which live the irrigation injection, either by product was applied through of of thousands so tens form, or manually in granular system workers contactinto came product. with the Dole . Aerial . Aerial 8 when there is an inspection. is when there adapted to conditions in the plantations. Both heat and the in the plantations. conditions to adapted The the humiditythe mask restrict combined with breathing. them that they demand wear except nothing, say foremen Workers do not wear their protective masks, even though though even masks, their protective wear do not Workers not are the masks because they know it is hazardous, participation of workers in preventive systems, are the norm. labour, and the application of a variety of different toxic substances without sufficient safety precautions. Low level of awareness and information, as well as lack of hazardous working tools, manual transport of heavy banana stems and non-ergonmically designed boxes, a repressive management style, discrimination against women, child General occupational health and safety (OHS) problems in banana plantations include inadequate workplace design, the fact that the law forbids spraying when the workers spraying the fact are forbids that the law in the fields. the personal protective equipment given to them to given equipment the personal protective of workers, presence is done in the of fungicides spraying despite during even meals... homes, as near people’s as well chemical chlorpyrifos (an insecticide)chemical chlorpyrifos the inside of the - on when exposed that workersseverely plastic bags - show are when using even theyput the plastic bags on the bunches, Studies from Ecuador and Honduras on the use of the and Honduras on Ecuador Studies from 26

Fruit continued using DBCP9 at a high dose in their banana In December 2002, a Nicaraguan judge ordered three U.S. plantations. companies, Dow Chemical, Shell Oil Company and Standard Fruit (Dole Food Company in the U.S.) to pay US$490 million Workers realised only a few years later that they had become in compensation to 583 banana workers injured by DBCP. sterile, developed cancers, skin diseases and other conditions However, Dole did not accept the legitimacy of the verdict. that might be linked to their contact with DBCP. DBCP is The US Embassy in Managua intervened - in the name of Dole a tragedy that touched young children who used to help - with the Nicaraguan Government. Ambassador Oliver Garza their parents, bring them meals or simply played with the asked for the end of the Nicaraguan legal proceedings in pesticide, as well as youngsters aged 16 or 17 who sprayed favour of DBCP victims. He accused Nicaragua of endangering toxic products, unaware of the danger. That represents two foreign investment. When the case was then brought before a Dole, derrière l’écran generationsde fumée of victims. court in the US, Dole submitted a counter-case against the sick ex-workers and their advisors ( and medical doctors), 22,000 people are now included in lawsuits against Dole and claiming that they had deliberately used falsified laboratory the chemical manufacturers in Nicaragua and many cases tests to damage the image of the company. of sterility and cancers have been listed. 5000 sterile workers 9 Source: PANUPS, were listed by COSIBA-CR and are represented by North A whole generation of DBCP victims are still awaiting for the (Pesticide American lawyers in the USA. There are thousands of victims result of their legal actions, although many have already died Action Network Update in Latin America and Dole faces hundreds of prosecutions as a result of the exposure. Services), – some of them as collective ones - in the Philippines, Central London, January 2003. America and the USA, because of its use of the chemical. C h a p t e r 5

SA 8000 certification: just a public relations exercise?

Advertisement for the banana tours organised in Costa Rica for tourists. 28

Dole, behind the smoke screen Advisory Board International. Accountability ofSocial Advisory obtain certification. The company retains aseatonthe by theendof2005. andannouncedthatit wanted 100% to be certified certified beginning of2005, (for itsoperations inthe Philippines in2001). certified At the Dole facilities. production monitoring of charge in are which bodies auditing independent by done is certification to leads that verification The non-discrimination. and wages hours, working concerning criteria of respect and labour) child labour, forced bargaining, collective to right association, of (freedom conventions ILO main the of respect includes standard The International. Accountability Social New called York in based organisation non-government a by 1998 in created was 8000” standard Accountability “Social voluntary The for bargaining. independenttradeunionsandcollective about itsanti-unionpolicy. into asubstitute SA8000isturning raised aboutfreedom ofassociationinitsplantationsand usesitasananswer often to questions multinational very D wasthefirstmultinationalin food sector to be around thecredibilityofitsSA8000certification. The ole basesitscommunicationsandpublicrelations Dole Dole had79%ofitsbananaplantations alsoencouragesitssuppliersto Today, from knowing whatreallyfrom goes onatground knowing level. complaintsandcriticisms, andthemanagement observations, prevents fromof labourrights expressing workers their nor thespecificculturalandpolitical contexts. The repression know thecountry, do not whosestaffoften America, North by for-profit private performed companiesfrom Europe or conditionsinsideplantations. working The auditsare usually of monitoring only oneswhocanguarantee thepermanent shows littleornointerest whoare inconsultingworkers, the andverificationof monitoring workers’rights.Management To should beaddedthegeneralproblem thiscriticism ofthe conditions orenvironmental impact. all inthefieldof working Additionally, feel often workers there are noimprovements at prevent thecreation evidence. ofunionsshouldbesufficient with notradeunionsandwhere to managementtries freedom ofassociation. plantations The numberofcertified doesnotguaranteeTrade the thatcertification unionsknow problems remain. standard the as compliantwiththeSA8000voluntary environmental standards. However, intheplantationscertified which guarantees therespectofanumbersocialand thesocialresponsibilityofcompanies, to support Dole refers asaninstrument to SA 8000certification C h a p t e r 6

Dole and the EU banana import regime: lobbying at every stage 30

Dole, behind the smoke screen 2006. increasingly proactive andaggressive role inpreparation for basis wasrejected by theEU. proposal to first-served allocate licencesonafirst-come Added toslice ofthelucrative this, EUmarket. thecompany’s this reform gave alarger itsmaincompetitors inLatinAmerica the World Trade Organisation. The problem for and theUSAfollowing eightyears ofunremittingin conflict had enabledthe “peace agreement” theEU, between Ecuador through quotas. of imports This wasthecommitmentwhich 2006 atthelatest; inotherwords, to abandontherestriction to implement a only”“tariff 1st regime January by import inJuly2001,theEU-15madeacommitment arrangements However, whenBrusselsreformed itsquotaandlicence inthe1990s. EU imports Chiquita So, itsmajorcompetitor, unlike duty-free intheEUmarket. sell growing Coast bananas volumes ofCameroon andIvory of theFrench investments in West plantationsandacquired African control particular, to livelearned withit.In aswellcountries asfor Europe’s own producers, thecompany accessfor exporting andCaribbean bothAfrican market A EU import regime (in1993)designedEU import to allow continued lthough , Dole did not pursue an all-out campaign to liberalise didnotpursueanall-out Compagnie Fruitière Dole never supported theestablishmentofan never supported Dole , allowing thecompany to nowan beganto take Dole madesubstantial Dole wasthat main rival, Exportadora Bananera main rival, Exportadora government was focused onrubbishing thearguments ofits aspossible.tariff Above all, ofhaving aslow asingle theimportance to underline madeseveral visitstoand CEODavid Ecuador Murdock, mobilised inLatinAmerica. on thedesksofEuropean Commission, the company As well ashaving and aconstantpresence inthecorridors 2004, to hotupinlatebattle over started thelevel ofthesingletariff of Guatemala, where labourisascheapEcuador. As the operationsfromand shifted to theCaribbean thePacific coast itconsidered too high-cost, operations inColombia, acountry At thesametime, thecompany pulledoutofmostits facility. amulti-millioninvestment port inaprivate as making where itboughtitsown plantationsfor thefirsttime, as well Dole letter, letalonerespond to it. licences). EU import cifically aserved”“first come, first system forallocating trade policiesthatfostered araceto thebottom (spe to meet 2001,160organisations ledby theUS/leapasked In started to concentrate operationsinEcuador, itsnew started Dole went into top gear. COLSIBA to, amongotherthings, stop promoting Dole Dole Dole never even acknowledged the never even acknowledged ’s lobbying oftheEcuador Food Company owner Noboa (Bonita brand), which (Bonita Dole -

Dole, behind the smoke screen 31 cutting off its nose to spite to spite cutting off its nose Dole is now set to play a leading role in accelerating the “race “race the in accelerating a leading role play to set is now example, the company appears to believe that it will not that it believe appears to the company example, that a the argument accept failing to as it should, prosper more will be workforce and respected decently remunerated productive. Dole to the bottom” in the international in the banana industry following the bottom” to is whether the question now The the end of EU import quotas. will inevitably prices which this liberalised EU regime lower as it hopes. It profiting from the company will prevent provoke case of be a to prove yet may its face.

Fresh Fresh Chiquita ’s direct line to the line to direct ’s Dole would be pulling out of the would Dole leapt into action, with leapt into together Dole got its way, even if the tariff even was a little got its way, Dole , to change the government’s mind. The company’s company’s The mind. change the government’s , to were taking opposing positions led Washington to to Washington taking were opposing positions led Dole producing cheap bananas is considered a threat to corporate to a threat cheap bananas is considered producing for freely, organise to If allowed operations. the unions are West African bananas to the EU market African on bananas to and can focus West Philippines, in Ecuador, lowest: costs are expanding where Africa. In impediment to this scenario any West Brazil and In the event, twoThe companies had advocated. higher than the company the duty-free access of their benefit from will continue to the debate. fought on behalf of its main rival. Indeed, the fact on behalf of its main rival. that fought and the issue until very silence over on in maintain complete late In the company’s home country, home country, In company’s the no longer Washington that ensured Republican government European came to San José on a charm offensive San José on a charm to came offensive lawyer European that rife and rumours were country was maintained. if the quota-based regime altogether where it had its second biggest operations – was in favour of – was in favour its second biggest operations it had where quotas, maintaining Del Monte a long period. a long period. In earlyRica clear that Costa 2005 when it became – a country was telling Quito that there was no rush to meet the January meet rush to was no there that Quito was telling over controls volume phasing out favoured deadline and 2006 C h a p t e r 7

Pineapples and flowers: a feeling of déjà vu

Demonstration led by workers from the Splendor flower plantation in Colombia. Dole, behind the smoke screen 33

would would flower flower Sintrasplendor. Sintrasplendor Splendor also operates. also operates. ’s ’s Dole Dole

has engaged in classic union-busting, has engaged in classic union-busting, Dole formed an independent union, formed ’s first independent union in the flower sector in in the flower first independent union ’s Dole is the largest exporter of cut flowers from Latin America exporter from is the largest of cut flowers Colombian flowers Colombian In 2004, workers November at plantations long hours, address union to the they formed say Workers In issues. 2005, and health & safety March unpaid wages, legal recognition. the union received be But Colombia. Ananas Fruit and Piña Tica Tica and Piña Fruit Ananas workers these twoThe have companies from the other things, fight, among union to a create decided to in conditions and women youngsters work under-aged of work and is exhausting The unacceptable. that are SITRAPIÑA the founded therefore They overtimepaid. not is 22 December on 4 Decembertrade union 2005. From workers the affiliated persecution of started with onwards, the leader the dismissal of two of them. On 28 December, the end of January, At as well. of the union was dismissed laid off. union members were another ten   ›› l Dole Colombia... nor in Ecuador, where where nor in Ecuador, Colombia... ›› to the USA It controls 20% of flower exports USA It the to Colombia, 20% of flower controls from Virtually no exporter. cut flower second largest the world’s industryindependent trade unions exist in the flower in

. Blackmail is used on a . pineapple plantation ’s flower production operations in production flower ’s SITAGAH in Costa Rica. of the in Costa A resolution ’s practices in export agriculture. The The practices in export agriculture. ’s Dole ineapples Dole Dole , refused to participate to , refused meeting in a conciliation

he banana plantations of Latin America are not isolated not isolated America of Latin plantations he banana are of examples Costa Rican P Costa isolating, persecuting and threatening to dismiss all the to and threatening persecuting isolating, is certified company This SA 8000. union members..... Dole Ministry the by organised on 12 January 2006. On the its position: it is now has hardened Street Collins contrary, affiliated to the union affiliated the union. Despite a worker leave to force basis to regular the Ministry’s and its customer, the company resolution, of association, by promoting solidarismo in place of trade promoting of association, by case concernedThe the dismissal of 9 workers unions. pineapples for pineapples for Labour Ministry 2005 acknowledges 4 August dated that of the freedom the exercise has impeded the company Collin Street Bakery Street Inc Collin fresh producing company Texan is a Street Collins

 ›› l Ecuador, as well as in as well Ecuador, Ecuador. and Colombia same problems of non-respect of the freedom of association of association the freedom of non-respect of same problems workingand extremely difficult found can be conditions Rica in Costa pineapple plantations and the company’s acroos T 34

Dole, behind the smoke screen commitments, especially withregard to itscode ofconduct, the company’s between contradiction publicstatements and The testimonies gathered inthisdocument highlightthe environment andonworkers’ health. onthe ofitsproductionactivities theimpact to acknowledge treatment atwork. This multinational company alsorefuses for improvedconditions, fairwagesanddecent working to negotiate theright company deniesthousandsofworkers doingso,democratic andindependenttradeunions. In the instances, isopposedto thecreation andimplementationof weCosta lookatacompany Rica, which,except insomefew banana plantationsinEcuador orinpineappleplantations From inflower workers plantationsin Colombia to thosein Conclusion very minorbreak-through,very orders.reinstateIn a despite fired court union workers Sintrasplendor one withtheotherunion. with sign acontract 2004. withitinDecember contract bringing unionandsigning inacompany-backed a ’s unionregistration andhasrefused to Sintrasplendor Dole Dole also sought to overturn alsosoughtto overturn reinstated oneunion becauseitalready has Dole now says itcannot for ofall its workers. therights genuine commitment to sustainable development andrespect words meananything andthecompany beableto claima onthegroundOnly by demonstratingthisin practice will andbusinesspartners. plantations andthoseofitssubcontractors conventions -aswell asrespectfor theenvironment inall specified inILO both compliancewiththesocialrights ensuring or thoseofitssubcontractors. This isindeedacrucialstep toward unions andofany attempt to create tradeunionsinitsplantations and endto therepression ofdemocraticandindependenttrade commit itself, andput notonlyonpaperbutalsoinpractice order itpromotes, toIn complywiththeprinciples inthefield. anditspractices SA 8000certification, information on working conditionsintheflowerwww.laborrights.org. industry,information see onworking 10 For more information onthiscampaign, seewww.usleap.org. For more ballot election Sintrasplendor leader inFebruary 2006butstillrefused to negotiate with anddidnotacceptaproposal for asecret 10 . Dole must Dole Dole ’s ’s O r g a n i s a t i o n s s u p p o r t i n g t h e D o l e c a m p a i g n :

3 F (Denmark) www.3f.dk Austrian Banana Campaign - Latin America Committee and International Fellowship of Reconciliation (Austria) www.versoehnungsbund.at Banafair (Germany) www.banafair.de Banana Link (United Kingdom) www.bananalink.org.uk CGT (France) www.cgt.org/ei COLSIBA (Latin American coordination of banana plantations workers) www.colsiba.org Indecosa (France) www.indecosa.cgt.fr Peuples Solidaires (France) www.peuples-solidaires.org IUF (International Federation of food workers) www.iuf.org/fr/ US/LEAP (United States) www.usleap.org

Banana Link | 8a Guildhall Hill | Norwich | Norfolk | NR2 IJG | T: (44) 1603 765670 | F: (44) 1603 761645 | E: [email protected] | W: www.bananalink.org.uk

Dole’s story is the “success story” of a Nor should a few buffer zones along company founded in the middle of the 19th riverbanks and flowers at the entrance to century to produce pineapples, which has plantations persuade the casual visitor that became a big multinational food company Dole is an environmentally responsible and sells more than 200 varieties of , citizen. vegetables and flowers all over the world. The company is the world’s leader and is the number three banana company in the This document is based on a number of European Union, a market yielding more than contributions from people on the ground, a billion Euro per year. people working in the plantations, trade unionists and environmentalists, mainly

Banana Link Limited Registered Office: 38 Exchange Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1AX Dole is a company that likes to pride itself in Latin American banana exporting Company No: 3144239. Registered in England and Wales. Banana Link is a not-for-profit co-operative on its social and environmental standards. countries. Its aim is to contribute to a Thanks to a smoke-screen of double-speak more accurate portrait of the biggest and certifications, the company has single sector of the company’s operations, convinced many who have no access to as well as to motivate Dole to change its information about what happens on the practices in a more sustainable direction ground inside banana plantations. However, with full respect for workers’ rights and the nobody should be left under the impression environment. that this is a company which welcomes free trade unions and collective bargaining as defined in international law.

with the support of European Union.