Dear John,

After a decade of abuses, including toxic chemical exposure, illegal firings of pregnant workers, and failure to pay the minimum wage, a group of farmworkers in southern Honduras’ melon plantations decided that enough was enough. They affiliated with STAS – the only union in the country’s agriculture industry that is organizing previously unorganized workers. As a sectoral union, STAS has the unique ability to organize workers across the industry. Their goal is to build a base of power strong enough to achieve good jobs for farmworkers – who pick melons destined for the United States – which will improve livelihoods for the workers and their families and curb migration from their communities.

The response to their organizing was brutal. Multinational fruit company Fyffes engaged in violent union busting activities: intimidating, illegally firing, and blacklisting union members. They locked union leaders in an office and threatened them. After Fyffes learned its security guards had affiliated with the union in 2017, Fyffes fired all 65 of them. More recently, Fyffes refused to rehire 43 union members for the 2019 harvest.

These 43 union members have been without employment for a year, and even so they are continuing to fight for their right to organize and bargain collectively.

Today, every dollar that you give will go to these brave farmworkers and their families. ([link removed])

It is rare that we ask for donations directly for workers, but today 100% of what you give will go directly to Honduran workers who are still fighting for justice, after the company refused to rehire them for seasonal work. With your donations, STAS will provide chickens, pigs, and corn feed to the laid-off workers so that they can raise and reproduce the poultry and livestock to feed their families over the summer and beyond.

Whether you give $100, $25, or even $5 – we need to you with us in this fight and we need your gift today. Please make your donation here to the STAS Members’ Emergency Fund. ([link removed])

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Adelante,

Gabby Rosazza
Campaigns Associate


------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Please consider joining ILRF as a monthly donor to help sustain our ability to stand with labor rights defenders around the world.

[link removed]<<emailTrackingId>>&userId=0hPHPxwkqoZwddD0nTdQOxXqjHsz%2BnfZGhpIFtPTsaI%3D