Colombia: banana workers prepare for national strike

After two months of fruitless negotiations, SINTRAINAGRO, the IUF-affiliated agricultural workers union of Colombia, has announced that its members are ready to strike in response to a proposal from the employers to reduce wages by up to 43% and to cut social benefits.18,000 workers are expected to join the strike.

SINTRAINAGRO president, Guillermo Rivera commented “We cannot accept after 30 years of struggle, during which we have buried a large number of union leaders and unionized workers killed for the claiming their rights,  the employers’ claim that in order to continue producing and exporting to international markets these rights should end”. He added that strike action was “a last resort for workers” but the attitude of the employers left workers with no other option.

IUF general secretary Ron Oswald has promised that the IUF will mobilize its affiliates world-wide to support SINTRAINAGRO.