The Ethical Trading Initiative has upheld Fyffes’ suspension from the organisation despite acknowledging the fruit exporter has made some progress in an ongoing labour dispute at one of its plantations.
Fyffes was suspended in May following a long-running dispute with workers at melon grower Suragroh, in Honduras. The suspension followed a complaint to the ETI over Fyffes’ alleged resistance to freedom of association and unionising by the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF) and NGO Banana Link.
Though there had been discussions between the IUF and Fyffes, no agreement had been reached so the board decided to maintain the suspension, said the ETI.
At a board meeting of the NGO last week, it ruled the corporate and social responsibility activities Fyffes had undertaken since its suspension to be “insufficient”. There was “still not a clear process in place that involved workers’ representatives and employers that could address the underlying dispute”, the ETI said.
It initially gave Fyffes 90 days to come to an agreement with the IUF to resolve the dispute or face expulsion. However, the deadline has been extended on multiple occasions, with the decision now due to be reconsidered at the next ETI board meeting in January.
“Creating an environment for normal industrial relations is in the interests of all concerned. ETI therefore encourages all parties to continue their discussions and ensure meaningful negotiation between the workers’ union and management,” said ETI executive director Peter McAllister.
The IUF had also brought complaints against Fyffes relating to the health and safety of its workers and non-payment of wages and overtime, which were dismissed by the ETI.
Reacting to the board’s decision, the GMB union called on supermarkets to put pressure on Fyffes to clean up its act.
“When Sumitomo bought Fyffes last year, they promised a resolution to this issue, but none has materialised,” said GMB international officer Bert Schouwenburg.
“One thousand workers, mainly women, are being effectively sacked and blacklisted in Honduras. Since we released these facts, a few have been rehired. Supermarkets will be forced to take notice if Fyffes is expelled from the ETI, and we are prepared to raise the profile of our campaign to ensure it cleans up its act.”
The IUF added there had been “no progress” in resolving the dispute.
However, Fyffes had a different take on the negotiations, and said it welcomed the decision to extend the deadline “as recognition of our continuing efforts to improve the welfare and working conditions of our workers in Honduras and seek a resolution of the current suspension”.
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