Costa Rica’s Grupo Acón, a major pineapple and banana supplier to European and US retailers, has been temporarily suspended from the Rainforest Alliance.
The company is accused of discriminating against union-affiliated workers and repeatedly failing to address worker grievances.
Sindicato de Trabajadores de Plantaciones Agricolas (SITRAP), which represents tropical fruit workers in Costa Rica, blamed the company’s owners of “turning a blind eye to the situation”.
SITRAP welcomed the Rainforest Alliance’s decision but said the company showed little signs of wishing to resolve the situation.
“We are hoping for a change of attitude from Grupo Acón, as we at SITRAP are still willing to establish a social dialogue with this company,” the association said in a statement.
“However, this company seemingly has no interest in changing, since a few days after the suspension of its certification, the administrators met in the plantations to rebuke and threaten the workers.”
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