Valentine’s Day and the plight of Colombian flower workers
15 February 2011
Valentines Day is marked for very different reasons by Colombia’s flower workers. Every year, from December until the end of February Colombian flower workers face long days of backbreaking work, excessive overtime and intense pressure to meet unrealistically high production targets. All this is done to satisfy demands from Western markets for flowers in the run up to Valentines Day.
February 14 marks Flower Workers Day in Colombia, raising awareness of the harsh conditions faced by workers on flower farms. This year Cactus, a long term War on Want partner fighting for the rights of Colombian flower workers, is publishing research exposing the occupational health and safety hazards in the flower industry. The report outlines the poor working conditions faced by flower workers and the high production targets imposed on them. It goes on to detail the long term risks these pose to the health of flower workers and the irreversible damage women have suffered to their physical and mental health. The report also highlights the entrenched discrimination faced by women workers, who are assigned the low paid, low skilled positions which pose the most danger to their health.
The Colombian cut flower industry is the second largest exporter of flowers after Holland, providing employment for approximately 800,000 people, the majority of whom are women. However, despite the cut flower sector growing by10.2% and total sales of US$996.8 million in 2010 flower workers continue to face appalling working conditions and poverty pay. War on Want works in partnership and solidarity with Cactus to bring real, long lasting changes to the lives of women flower workers.
Once the research report mentioned in the article is available online the relevant link will be posted here.
Comment:
