Banana campaigners turn the spotlight on Chiquita

20 February 1998

Banana campaigners turn the spotlight on Chiquita

BANANA campaigners, seeking better working conditions for people on plantations, are asking consumers to pressurise the worlds three largest producers to accept trade unions.

Banana Link, a group pressing for sustainable banana production, has teamed
up with the World Development Movement, another UK-based non-Governmental
organisation, to highlight labour conditions in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is the
worlds second largest banana exporting country.

They have been pressing Del Monte, Dole and Chiquita over lack of trade-union recognition. Del Monte and the trade union in Costa Rica agreed a deal in
December which affirmed mutual respect and unions rights to organise and move
freely on Del Montes plantations.

Now the group is turning its attention to Chiquita, and has asked consumers to write into the company to complain about working conditions.

• Financial Times 20/02/98 page 3