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

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WORKING CONDITIONSEmployment and HiringThe exploitation of melon workers begins with the hiringand contracting process. Workers are hired on shorttermcontracts, with the terms of employment oftennot adequately disclosed, making it difficult or nearlyimpossible for workers to denounce violations of theirrights.Of the 25,000 melon workers in Choluteca, 98% areemployed on temporary contracts. According toworkers, these contracts are valid for a maximum ofsix months. Contracts are often entered into verbally,leaving no formal documentation of the labor agreement.This violation of Honduran law means that workers arein a vulnerable position with minimal possibility of legalrecourse for abuses committed by their employers.Precarious WorkLabor rights protections are underminedworldwide as permanent, regular jobs arereplaced by contract labor and temporary,unstable work – a pattern and practice known as“precarious work.” These workers are subject tounstable employment, low wages and dangerousworking conditions. They rarely receive socialbenefits and are often denied the right to joina union. Even when they have the legal right tounionize, workers are afraid to organize if they areeasily replaceable.Although many melon workers have been with the samecompany for three years or more – some even upwardsof 30 years – they are denied job security. They do notsign long-term contracts but instead are hired for only ayear at a time. Most melon workers are young mothers– nearly a third are single mothers raising two or morechildren. Their inability to depend on a stable, continuousincome leaves their families in a constant precarious state.Honduran law requires justification for firing an employee,establishes severance pay, and creates social securitybenefits for employees. But by keeping contractsshort-term, companies can get around many of theserequirements by not re-hiring workers or threatening notto contract with them again. Any woman brave enoughto speak up could find herself without a job the followingseason. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. Itis against Honduran law to test for pregnancy as part ofthe hiring process or to fire an employee for becomingpregnant. Despite this law, one fifth of the womensurveyed were forced to take a pregnancy testbefore being hired. 17% reported having been fired forbecoming pregnant and 37% knew a coworker who hadbeen fired for pregnancy.“When we are pregnant, they fire us. For that reason,women don’t look for work when they are pregnantand if they become pregnant, they don’t say anything toanyone because they know that they will surely be fired.”~COSIBAH AGender discrimination does not end there. 12% ofthe women interviewed disclose that they have beendiscriminated against on the basis of their gender, mostcommonly through verbal abuse. 6% report beingsubjected to sexual harassment at work by a boss orco-worker. The few women brave enough to reportthis harassment to management saw no result. Thefear of being fired or not re-hired deters many womenfrom denouncing workplace discrimination. Othersare unaware of their labor rights and of what behavioris legally permissible in the workplace, and do not filecomplaints of harassment for this reason.“Thank goodness that you are interested in doingsomething for us. You will see how poorly they treat us…they are shameless.”~COSIBAHMelon companies capitalize on employees’ lack ofknowledge of their rights. The worker interviews showedthat only limited information is disclosed to workers inthe hiring process. 16% of workers were unable to namethe company that they work for and 39% did not knowthe exact length of their contract. Most women werehired with just a photocopy of their ID card and did notreceive a copy of their contract. Just over half of theworkers could name Sol and Mike’s Melons as the brandnames of their melons. This lack of knowledge suggestsa deliberate attempt by the melon companies to keepworkers in the dark.INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUMWOMEN IN THE HONDURAN MELON INDUSTRY6
WORKING CONDITIONSNot only are melon workers uncertain of the termsof their employment, they are unaware of their rightsas workers and as people. Only 18% of the surveyedwomen were able to identify a single labor right. Theywere equally hard pressed to identify their human rights:18% could name one or two human rights; 82% providedno answer. Without knowledge of the rights to which theyare entitled, workers will continue to be exploited.Working Conditions Illegal, Unethical,InhumaneEach day, melon workers in southern Honduras toilfor up to 14 hours, often in dangerous, unsanitary andillegal conditions. They face long hours, exposure totoxic chemicals, and an inhospitable work environment.Unable to unionize and without knowledge of appropriatelegal recourse, they continue to work in spite of thesedeplorable conditions. As a result, on-site injuries, jobrelatedhealth problems and worker exploitation occuron a regular basis.Days are long on the melon plantation. Most workersget up at 4 a.m. to begin the trek to the bus stop ormeeting point where they will catch a bus or jump in theback of the company pick-up truck to be driven up to 75kilometers to work. The workday starts around 6 a.m.and can range from 8 to 14 hours. Only 37% of workersreport leaving at the end of an 8-hour day. Most finishtheir work day around 4 or 5 p.m. and arrive home as lateas 8 or 9 p.m.“When I leave before dawn, my children are sleeping andwhen I return home, they are sleeping. I don’t know ifthey ate, if something important happened in their day…I feel totally disconnected from my family.”~Anonymous WorkerMost melon workers spend the entire day out in thefields under the hot sun, cutting fruit. Despite thephysically demanding and exhaustive nature of their work,half of all workers say that they do not receive a break,even for lunch. Less than one in five workers receive anadditional rest break in addition to lunch. Those womenwho are permitted a break of any sort are generally notprovided with adequate rest facilities. Two thirds ofthe workers report not having access to runningor potable water, a cafeteria or designated eatingarea or restroom facilities. They are forced to bringwith them enough water to support eight or more hoursof intense work in direct sunlight. They are humiliatedby having to relieve themselves in the fields withoutthe privacy of a restroom or outhouse. They are notprovided any place to rinse off or clean up.“There is no shade, even during our lunch break. Thereare no restrooms, nor water to drink or wash our hands.We must relieve ourselves out in the open.”~Anonymous WorkerWomen generally work as fruit planters, cutters, planters,cleaners or in other related capacities. The work ismonotonous, strenuous and without the propertraining, dangerous. Fruit cutters work with sharptools that require proper training and protective gear.The benefit of proper training in safe cutting practiceshardly needs be underscored. The work of planters andcleaners typically involves the use of powerful noxiouschemical fertilizers, pesticides and cleaners. Honduranlaw requires companies to establish occupational hygieneand safety committees to train and supervise employeesin the proper use of potentially dangerous equipment andactivities. While most workers report that there is sucha committee at their workplace, they express concernsabout them, saying: “They do nothing but chat withcompany officials.” Workers generally know very littleof their labor rights in the areas of occupational healthand have limited understanding of safety and hygieneregulations.When hygiene and safety committees fail, workers suffer.Few are properly trained to handle the machineryor tools that they operate, and just over half of allworkers receive any sort of protective equipmentfor their work. This means that many women spend allday cutting fruit from the vine without so much as gloves,masks, goggles or sun-protective clothing. The statisticsare telling: 40% of workers have been in an accidentcaused by damaged tools or faulty machines; 16% haveINTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUMWOMEN IN THE HONDURAN MELON INDUSTRY7
Page 1 and 2: INTERNATIONAL LABOR RIGHTS FORUMBUI
Page 3 and 4: TABLE OF CONTENTSExecutive Summary.
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe international
Page 7: INTRODUCTIONON GETTING BY:Families
Page 12: WORKING CONDITIONSNearly 70% of the
Page 15 and 16: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSADDR
Page 17 and 18: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSADDR
Page 19 and 20: APPENDIX A18. Does the company pay
Page 22: APPENDIX A59. Are the instructions

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