On June 24 IUF affiliates and FLOC allies gathered online for an event focused on “Why isn’t British American Tobacco ensuring human rights for workers in its supply chain?”
- Members of the IUF affiliate Farm Labour Organizing Committee (FLOC) described the hazardous working conditions at North Caroline tobacco farms where workers struggle daily with the “green monster,” the workers’ name for green tobacco sickness, a type of nicotine poisoning from working with wet tobacco plants
- Oxfam USA’s Irit Tamir explained that since their report “A state of fear: Human rights abuses in North Carolina’s tobacco industry” 10 years ago, the situation, especially with COVID-19, has deteriorated further; she described BAT’s policies as “rigging the rules” to prevent workers from accessing the freedom of association
- Julie Taylor from National Farm Worker Ministry, Rev. Sekinah Hamlin from the United Church of Christ Justice and Witness and Rabbi David Teutsch from Reconstructionist Rabbinical College expressed their support for FLOC members on behalf of the more than 650 US faith leaders who continue to call on British American Tobacco to negotiate with FLOC; the company has not yet responded
- IUF affiliates from Uganda described the anti-union tactics used by BAT to avoid unionization at the Ugandan supplying plantations, and IUF affiliate Federation of Tobacco Workers of Argentina (FTTRA) accused BAT of violating their collective bargaining agreement which recently affected more than 40 workers
The meeting concluded with a call to build a stronger international coalition to fight for Justice for Tobacco Workers and to support the online campaign demanding that BAT begin meaningful negotiations with FLOC:
https://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=4869
FLOC President Baldemar Velasquez stated, “Poverty wages and basic rights denial are a global problem, but the future of agriculture lies in our ability to get the global manufacturers like British American Tobacco to respect the freedom of association.”
