Women in the Honduran Melon Industry - International Labor Rights ...

WORKING CONDITIONSWORKER TESTIMONY: AGUSTINA ALVAREZ MARTINEZ“I lost a finger due to the irresponsibility of the Suragro-Fyffes Melon Company.I have worked with the company for 15 years and in all that time, the companyhas never paid us the minimum wage nor afforded us the rights established bythe labor code.I suffered an accident at work on April 15, 2010. As I arrived at my place ofwork and went to get off of the truck, my hand became trapped in the bars ofthe truck bed and my right-hand middle finger was dragged away withthe truck until it broke off. At this time, we could not find an immediatesupervisor and some of my colleagues told the driver to take me to theFergusson Clinic because they give medical attention to some of the Suragroworkers.They took me to this clinic, since none of the thousands of Suragro-Fyffesworkers including myself, have a right to medical care in the Honduran Instituteof Social Security (IHSS). Once they had treated me, the head of HumanResources, Juan Carlos Rosales, told me that the obligation of the companyended here and that I should go home and once I had recuperated, Icould return to the company to see if they could give me work again.[Soon after] a friend from work directed me to the offices of COSIBAH whichshe heard about on the Radio Paz “Union Torch” radio program that speaks tothe rights of workers. She told me that they give free advice to workers and notto seek out a lawyer because they charge an arm and a leg.The following day, Rosa Estrada (of COSIBAH) accompanied me to the officesdo the Ministry of Labor. Rosa informed me that she would put my case on theCOSIBAH web page because they already had a campaign to pressure Suragro-Fyffes to provide us workers with our rights. A few days later, Rosa broughtme to an internet café and showed me a photo of my hand and read me theaccompanying announcement.To my surprise, a few days later Juan Carlos Rosales called me to inform methat the company was going to pay for my medical assistance and recuperationtime and hire me back once I had healed- but that I had to stop working withCOSIBAH because they were out to harm the company. But I did not listento Mr. Rosales because were it not for COSIBAH, he would not haveoffered me any assistance nor would he have paid for my injury leave.I am being treated at the TELETON and I am awaiting a medical opinion thatestablishes my degree of disability so that the company will compensate me forthe injury that I suffered.”INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUMWOMEN IN THE HONDURAN MELON INDUSTRY8