Costa Rican union SITRAP and the Latin American union federation COLSIBA have denounced a series of labor violations and illegal hiring practices at two farms belonging to national company Grupo Acón. Fruit from these farms on the Costa Rican Caribbean coast is supplied to UK consumers via one of the country’s largest retailers.
After visiting the plantations in question and interviewing workers – both Costa Rican nationals and migrant workers – the unions asserted that a third-party contractor is hiring large groups of migrant workers using the identity documentation of Costa Rican nationals, who are employees of the same company. The Costa Rican employees are paid a commission to receive the salary of Nicaraguan workers in their Costa Rican bank accounts, and to withdraw this money for them.
Then, workers are paid piece-rates, rather than an hourly rate. The company changes the rate after the work is completed to a lower rate. Also, workers are not paid sick leave. Instead, the contractor lends them money with a high interest rate.
Social security contributions are deducted from workers’ salaries, despite the company not being signed up to national insurance.
Source: bananalink.org.uk
