SURINAMESE BANANA LABOR UNION SEEKS REREFENDUM TO

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000483 SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR -- MSEIBEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB PHUM PGOV NS SUBJECT: SURINAMESE BANANA LABOR UNION SEEKS REREFENDUM TO REPRESENT WORKERS FROM STATE-OWNED BANANA COMPANY REF: PARAMARIBO 196 ¶1. IN A JUNE 15 ARTICLE IN LOCAL DAILY "DAGBLAD SURINAME," JARIKABA BANANA WORKERS UNION (JWB) SECRETARY STUART CODRINGTON ANNOUNCED THAT THE UNION HAD FILED A REQUEST WITH THE GOVERNMENT MEDIATION COUNCIL (BR) TO HOLD A REFERENDUM AMONG WORKERS IN SURINAME'S REVIVED BANANA SECTOR. HE DECLARED THAT THE UNION REPRESENTS ALL BANANA SECTOR WORKERS AND THAT CURRENT LABOR LAWS SUPPORT THE UNION'S INITIATIVE. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE UNION HAD REPEATEDLY REQUESTED MEETINGS WITH THE FOUNDATION FOR PRESERVATION OF THE BANANA SECTOR (SBBS),THE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR REHIRING WORKERS AT SURLAND (SURINAME'S PUBLICLY OWNED BANANA COMPANY),AFTER IT HAD RECEIVED REPORTS FROM WORKERS ABOUT THEIR POOR WORKING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS REQUESTS FOR UNION REPRESENTATION. CODRINGTON ALSO ACCUSED THE SBBS BOARD OF VIOLATING THE RIGHT OF ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS VESTED IN THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION. FAILURE TO MEET WITH THE MEDIATION COUNCIL, HE WARNED, MIGHT FORCE WORKERS TO STRIKE. ¶2. SURLAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND SBBS CHAIR ANDRE BRAHIM DISMISSED JARIKABA'S POSTURE IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION WITH THE EMBASSY. HE EMPHASIZED THE EFFORTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE TO RESTART SURLAND AFTER THE GOVERNMENT WAS FORCED TO CEASE OPERATIONS IN APRIL 2002 DUE TO MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS LABOR PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM STRIKES OVER BONUSES AND CREDITED HIS FOUNDATION AND THE EUROPEAN UNION'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR REJUVENATING SURLAND. BRAHIM COUNTERED CODRINGTON'S COMMENTS BY NOTING THAT, TO DATE, THE SBBS BOARD HAD NOT RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM THE WORKERS ABOUT THEIR WORKING CONDITIONS. HE DISCOUNTED THE NEED FOR A UNION SINCE THE WORKERS DO NOT HAVE REGULAR JOBS -- SBBS IS OFFERING WORKERS THREE-MONTH CONTRACTS -- AND SHRUGGED OFF MEETINGS WITH THE MEDIATION COUNCIL GIVEN THE ABSENCE OF CONFLICT WITH WORKERS. BRAHIM ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT LABOR TROUBLES MIGHT SCARE OFF POTENTIAL INVESTORS WANTING TO BUY SURLAND. ¶3. COMMENT. SURLAND HAS WEATHERED A LONG LIST OF PROBLEMS -- POOR MANAGEMENT, CRIPPLING LABOR STRIKES, POLITICAL INFIGHTING, OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY, AND HUGE DEBTS (SEE REFTEL) -- AND IS NOW BACK ON TRACK IN THE BANANA EXPORT BUSINESS. HOWEVER, TALK OF DISCONTENT AMONG SURLAND'S REHIRED BANANA WORKERS AND JARIKABA'S ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH A UNION AT THIS TIME COULD POTENTIALLY DISSUADE INVESTORS FROM BUYING THE COMPANY, THEREBY THREATEN SURINAME'S LARGE- SCALE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ITS FIRST SHOT AT PRIVATIZATION. FORTUNATELY FOR SURINAME, SURLAND'S WORKERS HAVE NOT MADE PUBLIC COMMENTS TO SUPPORT JARIKABA'S CLAIMS OF POOR WORKING CONDITIONS. MOREOVER, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION WITH MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT IS CONFIDENT THAT SURLAND'S LABOR FORCE HAS LEARNED ITS LESSONS FROM THE PAST AND IS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURLAND THRIVE. GIVEN THIS BACKDROP, JARIKABA'S POSTURING MAY BE A PLOY TO RECLAIM SOME OF ITS INFLUENCE AMONG SURLAND'S WORKFORCE. END COMMENT. BARNES NNNN