Victory! Dole Flower Workers Sign Contracts in Colombia!

Workers at two Dole plantations are celebrating today after signing contracts on the Splendor and La Fragancia plantations last week. These contracts are the only agreements held by Dole flower workers in Colombia, and are the second and third contracts to be signed by independent unions in the Colombian flower sector.

Both contracts provide significant new benefits for workers. Another new flower union received legal recognition this month as well. There have been more victories in the past week in the Colombian flower sector that the past 4 years combined! Read below for details.

Contract Signed at Splendor Flowers!

The most well known struggle on a Colombian flower farm has undoubtedly been at Splendor Flowers, owned by the Dole Food Company. As many of you remember, Dole closed the larger of the two Splendor plantations last year , decimating the strongest independent union in the industry. Workers like Stella Orjuela (right), were left without jobs. The union at the remaining plantation, Splendor El Rosal, has been in negotiations since the closure and were only granted arbitration by the Colombian government after an intervention by Rep. George Miller. The arbitration tribunal came to a close last week, when workers signed a contract that includes significant improvements in conditions and wages. Among the benefits negotiated are a $200-$400 bonus for not having received a salary increase in two years, a raise of $14 above the legal minimum (bringing most flower workers to a monthly salary of about $215), and improvements in vacation and sick time.

Contract Signed at Fragancia!

Another Dole plantation that has been locked in a battle with the company for two years came to a close this week with a contract signing. The new contract negotiated by members of the Untrafragancia union includes a 6% pay increase, bonuses for punctuality, additional pay for fumigation workers who are exposed to hazardous chemicals, and an education stipend so that flower workers can send their children to school. Dora Acero (left), the education secretary for Untrafragancia, was in the United States in April and told audiences about the challenges flower workers face in educating their children. Now workers at this plantation will have the ability to send all of their children to school at once, and still afford food and clothing for their families.

Registration Approved at Flores Papagayo

With nearly unprecedented speed (about 4 months), the Colombian government gave legal recognition to the new union at the Flores Papagayo flower plantation. To the right is the union's president with USLEAP program coordinator Charity Ryerson. While the company is appealing the approval of the union's registration, this shows a marked change from past experience, when new unions would wait months or years for registrations, often being denied multiple times. This is an example of the growing strength of worker organizations in the Colombian flower sector, and gives us hope for more victories to come!

These amazing advances would not be possible without your support. We thank you for the letters, emails and donations that have sustained our work.