Costa Rica: Chiquita Fires Workers for Reporting Poisoning

Multinational fruit company Chiquita likes to boast of its high social and environmental standards, but its Costa Rican subsidiary COBAL has sacked two union members for complaining about being exposed to a toxic chemical. Alexander Reyes Zuniga, Jaime Blanco Juarez and Marco Gonzalez Borge reported to their supervisors that spraying of a toxic nematicide (used for killing worms in banana tree roots) was going on in the same area as they were harvesting bananas. They became nauseous and dizzy and Jaime Blanco had to go straight to the doctor, where he was retained for tests for several hours. Alexander Reyes suffered symptoms of poisoning the following day, but was told to resume work regardless. The team complained to supervisors only to be accused of entering the area to be sprayed despite orders not to do so. Alexander Reyes and Marcos Borge were sacked for misconduct. Chiquita management did not conduct any medical examination, did not give the statutory three warnings for misconduct and continue to deny the workers' version. The union SITAGAH has tried to negotiate the two workers' reinstatement, but the company has so far refused. Other recent violations of rights in COBAL plantations have been denounced by Costa Rican banana workers' union coordinating body COSIBA-CR.