USLEAP

Flower Workers Illegally Fired for Organizing!

On November 11, José Alexander Montenegro, José Abel Rincón, Samuel Rico, Juan Bautista López, Milton Páez and Sergio Fabián Bossa were illegally fired from the Mongibello flower plantation just outside of Bogotá, Colombia.

All 6 workers had been at the plantation for over 15 years. Fed up with the labor conditions on the plantations, the workers decided to secretly contact one of Colombia’s labor federations, the CUT, to talk about organizing a union. When management at the plantation discovered their plans, the six workers were immediately fired.

Write to the management of the Mongibello plantation and tell them illegal firings are unacceptable!

February 10, 2010

Subject:

Dear Mr. Esquinaci and Mr. Nariño Torres,

I have recently been informed that six workers on your plantation were fired for trying to organize a union in response to ongoing labor rights abuses. As you probably know, firing workers for unionizing is illegal in Colombia, as well as in the United States. I urge you to immediately rehire the illegally dismissed workers and to respect the labor rights of all of the workers employed by your company. Thank you for your time. Sincerely,
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