Inversiones Mancilla Ortiz, owners of the banana plantation Finca El Dorado, have long been known for their unyielding attitude, their contempt towards their workers and the systematic violation of collective work agreements.

 

Finca El Dorado is located in the municipality of Apartadó, in the banana-producing region of Urabá, and is also a world away from decent work.

 

In this plantation social security benefits are not paid on time and management specializes on miscalculating payments for Sunday and holidays, always to the detriment of the workers.

 

The National Union of Agroindustry Workers of Colombia (SINTRAINAGRO) recently issued a press release reporting the deplorable working conditions that exist at Finca El Dorado, where the only source of drinking water workers have is “a pipe through which wastewater from the Apartadó transport terminal and market is discharged.”

 

“To complete the picture,” the union’s press release continues, “workers are given used and shabby clothing as their work gear, including faded t-shirts with logos of different companies or soccer teams.”

  

This runs clearly in countercurrent to the recent improvement in working conditions in general in Urabá, as of the signing of the collective bargaining agreement on March 26 last, which marked a major step forward in the establishment of a social dialogue and the promotion of decent work, and which stands out as a positive example in Colombia’s otherwise difficult labor situation.

 

SIREL will continue reporting on this situation.