Walmart-at-the-Crossroads-FINAL-06.04.15

ecause in the company’s corporate responsibility report, it noted that there has been a “decrease in
worker perception of integrity.”
129
Besides ignoring the concerns of its workers, Chiquita has also been connected to
advocating for lower labor standards at the governmental level. Chiquita was linked to the
Table 3: Average hourly pay for banana
plantation workers in six of the largest bananaproducing
countries.
Country Non-Union Union
Ecuador $2.25 $3.50
Nicaragua $4.00 $7.00
Guatemala $4.00 $7.00
Honduras $6.50 $8.00
Panama $6.50 $8.00
Colombia $6.00 $9.00
Source: Diana Rodgers, “Are We Going Bananas? A Few
Thoughts on America’s Favorite Fruit,” Sustainable Dish
2009 military coup of the democratically elected
president of Honduras. Journalist John Perkins,
who visited Honduras, wrote, “Everyone I talked
with there was convinced that the military
coup… had been engineered by two U.S.
companies [Chiquita and Dole].” In reaction to
President Zelaya’s support for a 60% increase in
the Honduran minimum wage, both companies
are on record for denouncing what they claimed
to be a “leftist revolt.”
130
The Los Angeles Times
reported, “what happened in Honduras is a
classic Latin American coup,” alluding to the
many coups that were backed by Chiquita’s predecessor, the United Fruit Company, during the 20 th
century.
131
Chiquita has also been charged with allegations of funding terrorism. In 2008, Chiquita pled
guilty to doing business with a Colombian terrorist organization, costing the company $25 million. The
organization United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) was paid $1.7 million by Chiquita to
protect its banana plantations.
132
It was later discovered that AUC had been carrying out massacres of
thousands of Colombian civilians, in addition to controlling a large part of the country’s cocaine
trade.
133
Chiquita Brands International has a history, both recent and distant, of engaging in a variety of
illegal practices. Walmart must insist that Chiquita meets its code of conduct and engages in fair
treatment of its workers and not interfere in local political arenas.
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