Banana Workers, Fruit Companies, and Retaliation in Guatemala

The work of SITRABI and other unions in Guatemala is part of a complex and often brutal labor history. It is important to understand the context that Maria organizes in. The context is complex and in truth starts with the colonization of the Mayan people of Guatemala centuries ago. That amount of information is really outside of my scope of knowledge and is so rich that of course I am unable to address it all here. So what I have done is try to construct a simple historical timeline of fruit companies' involvement in violent repression of primarily indigenous workers both in history and currently.

Bandegua, Del Monte, Chiquita and United Fruit

Maria actually works for a company called Bandegua Bandegua
which is a subsidiary of Del Monte Fresh Produce (DMFP) Del Monte was formerly United Brands Company AKA Chiquita. Chiquita used to be United Fruit Company (UFC). The UFC, Chiquita and Del Monte have all attempted to silence workers and their supporters. UFC helped finance a military coup in 1954 of Jacobo Arbenz Guzman, a socialist president, whose land reforms and union support threatened the UFC's interests.

Violence and Organizing

Intimidation and violence against Organizers in Guatemala by corporations, the government and paramilitaries all working in collusion is still a current daily reality. Some of the fear tactics currently being used are kidnapping, physical violence, and murder. Last year union organizer Marcos Tulio was killed on the plantation that Maria works on. He was shot outside of his home. The circumstances surrounding his assassination are intriguing to say the least. At the plantation any visitor coming in or going out must leave their license plate number at the guard shack--stationed at the entrance--as well as sign in and out. However there is no record of the alleged shooters vehicle. His murder is still unsolved.

Overcoming Oppression

Despite the history of persecution of unionists in Guatemala they have still been able to bargain for better pay, work conditions, education, public health programs, and pension housing. Maria works with the unionistas to organize radio programs, workshops and to write books on topics ranging from political education, child support, patriarchy, and femicide. The Unions educational outreach and its topic diversity shows how versatile and adaptable the union is. It is able to meet the needs of women both as workers and as members of the 'underclass' in a patriarchal society.


What Can You Do?

Locally ask your supermarket to sell fair trade fruit.

Get involved with a national action.

Unionistas!

In July STITCH brought union organizer Maria del Carmen from Guatemala to tour the southern US. The purpose of the visit was to create an opportunity for dialogue between women workers who are labor leaders in the U.S. and Guatemalan union organizers. The NWA Workers' Justice Center had the goal of tapping into the knowledge and skills offered by a history of struggle that has resulted in higher wages, better working conditions, and more just workplaces in some of the most inhospitable organizing environments in the world.

Maria's Story

Maria del Carmen is a banana worker. Her job is to put the Del Monte and bar code sticker on the bananas. She is also a union organizer with Sindicato de Trabajadores Bananeros de Izabal (SITRABI). She has struggled within the union to become one of the first women to be apart of the union leadership. Maria started working when she was just 14. She had hoped to be in school long enough to get training to become an accountant. It was not possible for her and her brother to both be in school. So she stopped studying and began working on the plantation. Using her struggles and shared experiences with other women workers in the room we began the first half of the morning workshop.

Organizing With and For Women

Cassandra a organizer with STITCH and Maria co facilitated a training using the curriculum STITCH has developed with maquila workers and union organizers in Guatemala City. The training begins with a group discussion that looks at how racism, classism and sexism affect women at home, on the job and in our communities. The women were encouraged to use the larger political struggle as a context for the second half of the morning group, talking about strategies and solutions.

Strategies and Solutions

Maria shared successful ways that SITRABI has addressed these issues. For instance she talked about how every time a new women comes to work the union tells her about the struggles and successes of the women before her. Maria also talked about how the union responded to what women wanted and needed to learn about. Some examples of classes, workshops and radio programs that SITRABI offer are; reproductive health, domestic violence, mental health, maternity leave and getting spouses to help with the house work.

What Do Women Organizers in Northwest Arknasas Need

The women evaluated what the most pressing issues for women workers in Northwest Arkansas are. The Northwest Arkansas workers brainstormed ways that they could offer some education opportunities to their female peers. What we found was that domestic violence was the topic that kept popping up over and over during the discussion. All of the women at the meeting were concerned about the misinformation surrounding partner abuse. One organizer said that she had been told that a man could hit a woman once a month and that was not illegal. Spousal rape is also an issue that is relevant but women have little or no information about it. As staff we were blown away by the misunderstandings and misinformation around violence against women.

Domestic and Workplace Violence Training

These women are solution makers! They decided they wanted to have a radio show around workplace violence and they all offered to be the voice or to find women to do a weekly broadcast. This is a huge time commitment and so we are looking at ways that other organizers and the resources of the center can support them. They also requested that the Center contact domestic violence experts to give a 'train the trainer' style workshop.

What we know as organizers and in particular as women organizers is this: abuse in one area of a persons life makes that person vulnerable to abuse in every other area of that persons life. So August 23 we will have our first "Stop Domestic and Workplace Violence" training. With the goal that education about protecting ones self at work or at home from abuse is a way to make manifest the potential of empowered women workers.

In Her Own Words: Maria's Story

Maria met with members of the Northwest Arkansas Workers' Justice Center at a local taqueria to tell her story. Folklorist and Workers' Center volunteer Meridith Martin recorded her presentation.

Maria's Story