14th February ... a day of giving and caring?

Issued on February 13, 2013 at 11:55 AM

For some February 14th is just another ordinary day, for others it’s all about the chocolate and flowers, but for workers in those industries it can mean a different thing entirely.

It is estimated that there are 211 million child workers [ILO] around the world of which approximately 120 million are working full-time to support their families.  According to the ILF, Cote d’Ivoire is the largest supplier of cocoa globally, providing more than 40% of global production.  As world cocoa prices remain low, in order to stay in the industry farmers are employing children and there are estimates that around 109,000 children in the Cote d’Ivoire cocoa industry work under the “worst forms of child labour” with around 10,000 victims of human trafficking or enslavement [US State Dept].

More information is available on The Dark Side of Chocolate and from the IUF which is the global union for food and agricultural workers

And what about the flowers …………..

At our Global Solidarity Summer School last August, Anteneh Belachew, a Phd student, presented facts from his research into the cut-flower industry in the Ethiopian Rift Valley.  The good news story is that between 2005 and 2011 the volume of exports from Ethiopia has increased four-fold and figures for the end of 2011 suggest that they made US$1.1bn from exports in the last few months of that year, including flowers.

But the workers’ stories are not so good.  In the study of 30 flower farms, 195 workers were interviewed.  Except those in leadership none of the employees received contracts, 25% are unclear about their working status with close to 20% working between 10 – 14 hour days.  Wages range from below $1 to just about $2 per day, with the majority of workers paid between $1 and $1.50 per day.

There are occupational health and safety issues with 74% of workers having some sort of contact with chemicals, whilst 48% are not provided with protective clothing.  The protective clothing assigned to the rest is of poor quality fabric, uncomfortable to wear with replacement for defective clothing very difficult.

120 chemicals are used in Ethiopia’s floriculture industry, of which 15 are classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization. These chemicals can cause lasting damage to brain cells and the immune system and have been known to bring about miscarriages in pregnant women according to the Addis Ababa University Science faculty.

Both Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia have signed up to a number of ILO Conventions including the abolition of Forced Labour, Minimum age of Employment and Worst forms of child labour along with the freedom to associate and the right to collective bargaining.  It is therefore crucial that these industries respect international law and governments allow unions to freely operate rather than targeting them for harassment and repressing their activities.

In order to get retailers to stock ethically produced goods, they need to know there is a demand for it.  So this St. Valentine’s Day, show solidarity with workers around the world and ask whether the chocolate or flowers you wish to bestow on your nearest and dearest have been ethically produced and labour standards upheld.

The caring sentiment behind your gift should reverberate around the world to all workers, where ever they are.

Read more about the violation of workers’ and trade union rights in the annual report from the International Trade Union Confederation [ITUC].