In what some people call a landmark development, Côte d'Ivoire has witnessed the formation of an agreement aimed at establishing living wages within the banana sector. This agreement involves the country's principal banana exporting entities and an array of trade unions representing a significant portion of the workforce. A bipartite group was established to draft a national collective bargaining framework, with the support of Afruibana, the IUF, and Banana Link, focusing on securing European buyer support to ensure living wages for approximately 13,500 employees.
The negotiation process, fueled by contributions from CIRES-CI, the ILO West Africa office, and the IUF African banana workers' coordination, among others, aimed at addressing wages and decent work conditions. This initiative received backing from six European retailers, including Tesco and Carrefour, highlighting a joint responsibility towards wage enhancements. The program also involved training workshops on living wages and collective bargaining, emphasizing the empowerment of trade unionists. The establishment of a national federation by ten trade unions marks a significant step towards a unified approach in negotiating with sector companies.
Source: bananalink.org.uk