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INFIGHTING, OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY, AND HUGE DEBTS (SEE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