growing pains - war on want

FIGHTING GLOBAL POVERTY

Growing Pains

The human cost of cut flowersin British supermarkets

FIGHTING GLOBAL POVERTY

Preface

This report forms part ofWar onWant’songoing campaign for corporateaccountability. It presents the results ofresearch and consultation with workers inColombia and Kenya who grow the cutflowers sold by the major supermarkets in theUK.This research reveals the true human costof the flowers sold to consumers in the UK.While this report focuses on Colombia andKenya specifically, the problems highlighted aresystemic and can be found throughout the cutflowers industry.

UK supermarkets buy flowers from farms orplantations that are supposed to becommitted to voluntary standards whichguarantee decent working conditions and ahealthy and safe working environment.Yet thisreport shows that these principles areregularly violated as a matter of course.Thisunderlines one of the key points ofWar onWant’s campaign: that voluntary codes ofconduct cannot provide effective protectionto the workers they are supposed to shield,and that proper regulation of multinationalcompanies is required instead.

War onWant is proud of its long historyworking in partnership with grassrootsorganisations involved in the cut flowerindustry, including Cactus and Untraflores inColombia, the National Union for Plantation

and AgriculturalWorkers (NUPAW) in Zambiaand the KenyanWomenWorkers Organisation(KEWWO). In terms of international solidaritywith fellow workers overseas, we welcomethe financial support of the British trade unionProspect which has made this report possible.

This report highlights the need for the UKgovernment to adopt legislation that will makecompanies truly accountable for their policiesand actions.This must include the ability ofoverseas workers affected by UK companiesor their suppliers to seek redress in the UK.The report also recommends action, both tosend a message to these companies and tochallenge the UK government’s rejection ofregulation that would open up the possibilityof genuine corporate accountability.This isWar onWant’s mission more widely: tosupport people in developing countries intheir fight against the root causes of poverty,but also to inform and inspire people in richcountries to challenge the global structureswhich sustain poverty across the world.

Louise RichardsChief Executive, War on Want

GROWING PA IN S : THE HUMAN COST OF CUT F LOWER S IN BR I T I SH SUP ERMARKET S 1

2

Say it with flowers

We use flowers to mark every occasion.Theydecorate weddings and holidays, mark birthsand deaths, and say thank you or get wellsoon.They are praised for their delicatebeauty and heady aroma. But the bouquetsyou buy are likely to have been produced by awoman being exploited on a flower plantationsomewhere in the developing world.

The flowers imported into the UK areproduced by intensive farming with pesticidesunder artificial conditions that endanger theworkers involved.They are then air-freightedhalfway around the world in cold storage andresuscitated with still more chemicals beforereaching the supermarket shelf.The vastmajority of consumers now buy their flowersat supermarkets (see box).

Shoppers are increasingly aware of theenvironmental damage caused by thepesticides and air miles involved in flowerproduction. But few British consumers areaware of the price workers on flower farmspay so that they may enjoy the fleeting beautyof cut flowers.

Women workers comprise the majority ofemployees in the flower industry in developingcountries such as Colombia and Kenya.Theyare exposed to a toxic cocktail of chemicalsused to destroy pests and fungus, and to keepflowers fresh for the supermarket shelves.According to the Colombian NationalInstitute of Health, women on flower farmsexperience higher-than-average rates ofmiscarriages, premature births and congenitalmalformations.Workers exposed to pesticidesalso suffer skin lesions, allergies, respiratoryproblems, fainting spells, headaches, eyeproblems and chronic asthma.1

Lilia, a Colombian flower worker and mother,told us:“If they fumigate and then an extraorder comes in, they’ll make us go in rightafter they finish spraying.They tell us ‘gocarefully’ and ‘cut and leave quickly’ but peoplecan’t always stand the fumes and will faint.”

During times of peak demand aroundMother’s Day,Valentine’s Day and Christmas,workers are forced into overtime to meetdemand.On flower farms in East Africa andColombia, women report working up to 15

GROWING PA IN S : THE HUMAN COST OF CUT F LOWER S IN BR I T I SH SUP ERMARKET S

Supermarket power

In European countries, supermarkets are expanding their share of the cut flower market. In theUK, fully 7 in 10 of all cut flowers purchased come from a supermarket shelf, the highestproportion in Europe.2 Supermarkets are now exercising their vast market power andestablishing direct contact with producers in East Africa and Colombia who are able to supplylarge quantities directly and quickly, as well as sourcing through Dutch auctions. Supermarketssuch as Marks & Spencer andTesco source flowers from Colombia, while Sainsbury’s,Tesco andWaitrose buy from Kenya. Supermarkets have enormous influence over flower producers andultimately the working conditions and health and safety of flower workers themselves. It istherefore vital that supermarkets take responsibility for the treatment of their suppliers.


Colombian flowers ready for distributionPhoto: Elcio Carriço/War onWant

hours a day to meet retailers’ heavy demands.This puts enormous strain on workers, manyof whom are single mothers who also havefamilies to care for.

Working conditions on many flower farms aredismal, even on those farms with ethicalcertification such as Florverde in Colombia(see page 11).Workers cover long shifts at onetask with only a short break per day, oftenresulting in physical injuries.Women aresubjected to a high rate of sexual harassmentdue to isolated work areas, and there is often

no safe drinking water whilst on the job.

Since problems in the flower industry firstcame to light a decade ago,many standards andcodes of conduct have been created in an effortto address these appalling working conditionsand environmental impacts. However, thesevoluntary standards are failing to protectworkers adequately for reasons such as anabsence of unions to ensure that flowercompanies comply with the requirements, alack of independent auditing and confusion overwhich standards to adhere to.

4

Race to the bottom

The cut flower industry has seen remarkablegrowth over the last few decades, and isworth over US$100 billion today, with recentgrowth estimated at 6% annually.3 In the UK,the cut flowers and indoor plant industry isnow worth £2.2 billion per year, whichrepresents a 250% increase over the last 20years.4 The UK is – along with Germany – thetop importer of cut flowers in the world.5

The biggest flower-exporting countries are theNetherlands, Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya andIsrael.The UK’s main sources of cut flowersare similar: the Netherlands (about 75%),

Colombia, Israel and Kenya. However, thesefigures are misleading: although theNetherlands imports many of the flowers itlater exports, they are still considered Dutchflowers when they arrive in the UK.6

The flower industry has seen a shift away fromtraditional players like the Netherlandstowards developing countries where theclimate is better and production costs –particularly labour costs – are lower. Manycountries are aggressively promoting theexpansion of their flower export sectors,including Ethiopia, Malaysia, China, Zambia and


Flower standards

In response to public campaigning in the 1990s, national cut flower industries developedcompeting sets of standards and voluntary codes of conduct to address growing concerns overthe environmental impact of the industry and its appalling working conditions, particularlyexposure to toxic pesticides. Kenya and Colombia each have their own national standards in theform of the Kenya Flower Council’s standard and the Florverde scheme implemented by theColombian flower exporters’ association Asocolflores.7

In 1998 the voluntary International Code of Conduct for the Production of Cut Flowers (ICC)was developed by a group of trade unions and NGOs.The ICC includes the right to a livingwage, a ban on child labour, the right to form unions, health and safety standards and reducedpesticide use.Two competing international schemes that incorporate the ICC – the Flower LabelProgramme and Fair Flowers Fair Plants – have also been launched in recent years. But despitemore than 10 years of campaigning, there is still no agreement on a common internationalstandard for the flower industry, and confusing and conflicting standards are rife.

Moreover, this web of codes fails to protect workers because the standards are not monitoredproperly. Colombian flower workers report that plantation owners are given advance notice ofinspections, coach their workers about what to say, and don’t allow workers to speak to auditorswithout a supervisor present.“When there’s going to be an audit, everything’s prepared perfectlyin advance so the company will get its certification,” said one worker.These ineffectual voluntarystandards highlight the need for regulation that will protect workers.

Workers on a Kenyan flower farmPhoto: Paul Moon/War onWant

Tanzania, while more established producerslike Colombia and Kenya continue to increasetheir exports to Europe.

The flower industry operates on very thinmargins with demanding quality standards anda very fragile and time-sensitive product. Manyflowers can survive storage for only 1-3 days,so must arrive on shelves as quickly aspossible.With these fixed overheads built into the cost of producing cut flowers, one ofthe few variables farm owners have controlover is the wage they pay their workforce.Asa result, the flower industry is in a race to thebottom as firms threaten to relocate tocountries with ever lower wages and workingconditions.After Dole announced it wasclosing farms in Colombia, one supervisor tolda worker,“In Africa they work for a bowl ofsoup a day,” and,“In Colombia workers maketoo many demands.”8

The cut flower industry has provided somejob creation – 100,000 people are employedin the flower industry in Colombia and 40,000in Kenya.These jobs are important to theworkers and valued by them as crucial sourcesof income. However, the jobs are poorly

compensated, provide little security, and arehazardous to the health of workers.

While jobs in the flower industry are oftenunsafe for workers, the industry itself can bedetrimental to its surrounding environment.The cultivation of flowers requires a great dealof water, which in arid countries like Kenyacomes at the expense of small-scale farmersgrowing other crops.“The flower companiesare exporting our water,” said SeverinoMaitima, head of the Kenyan water authority.“A flower is 90% water.We are one of thedriest countries in the world and we areexporting water to one of the wettest.”

Mr Maitima also reported that the farms takewater whenever they need it, rather than justduring the flood periods when they are legallypermitted to.9

The Savannah of Bogotá that housesColombia’s flower industry – the secondlargest in the world – is also facing watershortages.The aquifer has fallen by 180 metresand water has to be imported from otherregions.10

6

Risking their health for work

Flower workers are constantly exposed tohigh levels of extremely toxic chemicals, andmany report serious health effects, includingskin lesions and allergies, respiratoryproblems, incidences of people fainting,headaches, eye problems and chronic asthma.The chemicals used are known to causemiscarriages and congenital malformations.Accidents often result in chemical burns.

TheWorld Health Organisation recommendsat least 24 hours between the time flowersare sprayed and the time workers re-enter thearea, but such guidelines are oftendisregarded. Many workers report beingforced to enter greenhouses right afterfumigation.When asked if the companyrespects minimum safety standards, Maria, aColombia flower worker, told us:“To them it’smore important to complete orders.”

Because they are not consumable, flowershave escaped much of the anti-pesticidepressure that has begun to reform the wayfruit and vegetables are grown.And becausecut flowers have no value if they are notattractive, chemicals are also used to preservetheir beauty.A 2002 study of 8,000 flowerworkers near Bogota found they had beenexposed to 127 different pesticides, 20% ofwhich are banned in the US because they arehighly toxic or carcinogenic.11 Additionally,because pesticides are used primarily inenclosed greenhouses with often hightemperatures, they are more easily inhaled orabsorbed through the skin. Studies in LatinAmerica have found that 50-60% of flowerworkers exhibit at least one symptom ofpesticide poisoning.12

Most workers receive no training in the

handling of pesticides and are often unawareof which chemicals are being used, whichmakes it impossible for them to gaugewhether their employers are following safetyguidelines. However, our research found thatmost workers are aware of the health risksinvolved. One woman said,“I know we’re leftwith the consequences; insecticides andfungicides are being passed through our skin.”Her colleague noted,“Not everyone’s built thesame and some people are harmed whileothers aren’t. But we’re always going to havethe risk of contamination with fungicides.”

In both Colombia and Kenya, workers reportthat if accidents occur or workers get sick,they are often fired without compensation.Aide, a flower worker, tells of an incident on aColombian farm where workers downwind ofpesticide spraying got sick and fainted.Theywere fired immediately.Another workerexplained that incidents are often notrecorded because supervisors “scare theworkers into not saying anything”.

In addition to exposure to highly toxicchemicals, flower workers are at extremelyhigh risk of disabling repetitive strain injuriessuch as carpal tunnel syndrome, which cancause chronic pain and severely restrict theirability to work. Colombia’s Ministry of SocialProtection reports that flower workersaccount for 32% of the country’s cases ofcarpal tunnel syndrome, despite the fact thatthe flower industry employs less than aquarter of one percent of the population.

Every worker we surveyed in Colombiareported incidences of carpal tunnelsyndrome, spinal injuries, rotator cuff injuries,and so on.They also report that the


GROWING PA IN S : THE HUMAN COST OF CUT F LOWER S IN BR I T I SH SUP ERMARKET S 7GROWING PA IN S : THE HUMAN COST OF CUT F LOWER S IN BR I T I SH SUP ERMARKET S

Workers in protective clothing spray flowersin a greenhouse in Bogotá.A minimumwaiting time of 24 hours is recommendedbefore workers re-enter the area, butworkers are often sent in immediately afterspraying with no protective gear.Photo: FernandoVergara/EMPICS/AP

companies do nothing to prevent or lower theincidence of repetitive strain injuries.Workersare made to do the same repetitive task formonths on end, making the potential for injuryhigh.

One woman told us she was refused medicaltreatment and then sacked when she could nolonger move her arm due to repetitive strain.Luz, who has had carpal tunnel syndrome fortwo years, has a medical order that requiresthe company to change the task she doesevery two hours. Instead, she said,“Thecompany has never done this. I stay in thesame job for days, weeks, entire months.”

A final safety hazard that is widely reportedon flower farms is the quality of wateravailable for workers to drink. Flower workerstoil in hot greenhouses with a high level ofphysical activity, and need access to safe andclean water. Instead, most of them report thatthe water provided is visibly dirty and makespeople sick.

The farms say that they have treated thewater and that it is safe for humanconsumption, but the workers are highlysceptical. One worker noted,“You doubt thewater is safe because the administration don’tdrink the same water as the workers.”

8

Low pay, no security

Throughout the flower industry worldwidethe majority of workers, especially those inpost-harvest jobs, are women. In Colombia65% of flower workers are women, and inKenya the figure reaches 75%.13 They worklong hours, often with mandatory overtime,for very little pay and no job security.Thewomen we surveyed in Colombia report beingpaid less than 50 pence per hour – half theliving wage in that country.14

Similarly, Kenyan flower workers often receiveas little as £23 a month, which is not enoughto cover basic needs such as food, housing,transport, education and medical bills. Localflower workers estimate they need at leastdouble that to live, around £50 a month, sothey look for additional work to make up thedifference.15Workers in Kenya and Colombiaboth reported working overtime for no extrapay.

Throughout the flower industry, overtime iscompulsory and largely dependent on the

demand from the USA and Europe, withworkers required to put in significantly longerhours at peak times such as Mother’s Day andValentine’s Day.Working hours can beextended with little or no notice, and there isno dispensation for those with children. Somewomen are forced to leave their childrenunattended when overtime arisesunexpectedly.Women’s safety is also at riskwhen they are forced to travel after dark, ascompanies do not provide their employeeswith transport.

Job security is extremely poor for mostflower workers. In a recent survey ofColombian flower workers, lack of jobsecurity and poor treatment were rated aseven bigger concerns than their low wages.16

OnAfrican flower farms there is evidence thatcompanies keep workers on temporarycontracts that they extend year after year.Thisdenies workers benefits such as socialsecurity, maternity leave and unionmembership that they are legally entitled to


Easy come, easy go

Jobs in the cut flower industry are extremely insecure.Workers on short term or seasonalcontracts can be dismissed at any time, and there is little protection for permanent workers whoget injured or sick. In some countries it is not just the jobs but the entire industry that is atstake. Countries like Ethiopia are competing with more established flower exporters like Kenyaby offering significant tax breaks to companies; five large farms have already relocated.17 China ispositioning itself to become the world’s second largest flower exporter. Neither Chinese norEthiopian flower farms have independent trade unions to challenge poor working conditions.Flower industry jobs provide many families’ only source of income. It is therefore vital thatconsumers not boycott flowers from developing countries.

and suspends them in a state of insecurity. InKenya 65% of the floriculture workforce istemporary or casual and in Zambia fully 77%of flower workers are on seasonal contracts ifthey are on contracts at all.18

Women face greater job insecurity than men,and are likely to be fired when they becomepregnant.As a result, many hide pregnanciesor resort to abortion to keep their jobs. Over90% of women workers in the Colombian cutflower industry report being forced to take apregnancy test when they join the company.19

Sexual harassment on flower farms iswidespread, in part because of conditions thatmake women vulnerable.Women often workin very isolated conditions, in hugegreenhouses where workers are spaced farapart and no one can hear or see what ishappening.A study in Ecuador found 55% ofworkers surveyed had experienced sexualharassment at work.20 Unfortunately, womenare often reluctant to report or discussharassment, in large part due to their lack ofjob security.


Flower worker in ColombiaPhoto: Elcio Carriço/War onWant

10

Struggling for a voice

Despite the fact that many flower-producingcountries have labour laws that guaranteeworkers freedom of association, many barriersexist that prevent workers from organising. Inaddition, flower companies tend to employworkers on short-term contracts or on acasual basis, which often prevents them fromjoining a trade union. It is the widespreadabsence of unions on flower farms worldwidewhich leaves workers exposed to poorworking conditions. Independent unions areintegral to safe and healthy workingconditions.

In Colombia, less than 5% of the overallworkforce is unionised. It is the mostdangerous country in the world to be a tradeunionist: since the mid-1980s around 4,000trade unionists have been murdered inColombia, and more trade unionists are killedthere annually than in the rest of the worldcombined.21 In addition to the threat ofviolence, there are severe bureaucraticobstacles to getting a union officiallyrecognised.

On Colombian flower farms, workers who tryto unionise are continually threatened andharassed by the administration. One workernoted,“They treat us unionised workers as ifwe are contagious.They threaten to fire otherworkers if they speak with us.” Another said,“They put thousands of obstacles in our wayto prevent us from meeting.When they knowwe have a union meeting scheduled they’llmake us work overtime.”

Some flower companies have formed theirown unions, known in Colombia as ‘yellowunions’. Flower companies can then avoidhaving to negotiate with or acknowledging theexistence of independent unions. Farm ownershave also been known to bribe workers notto join unions. One company pays bribes of40,000 Colombian pesos (roughly £10) toworkers if they leave the union, whilst anotherpersuades workers to join the yellow unionwith offers of money and free lunches.

In October 2006, Dole announced it wasclosing down two of its 13 Colombian farms.The two farms slated for closure employedsome 2,600 workers, almost a third of Dole’sColombian workforce. Dole claimed it wasbecause of competition from other flowerproducers in China and Africa. However, localworkers suggest the true reason behind theclosures was that the workers wereunionised.22 Since the threatened closures,Dole has slashed its workforce on theunionised Splendor farm from 1,500 to only300. Of those 1,200 workers no longerworking on the plantation, 300 left as theywere not contracted and the other 900resigned – although the workers claim thiswas under pressure from Dole.23

Similarly, there is little union representation onKenyan flower plantations, with studiesshowing membership as low as 16-17%.24

Research conducted on Kenyan flower farmsreveals that many workers are unaware oftheir rights, including the right to form aunion.25 In Ethiopia the problem is even morepronounced – there are no trade unions onEthiopian flower farms.26


Green flowers or greenwash?

Florverde (‘green flowers’) isthe certification programme setup by the Association ofColombian Flower Exporters(Asocoflores) with the statedpurpose of minimising the

environmental impacts of the cut flowersindustry and protecting workers’ rights. UKsupermarkets Marks & Spencer,Asda andTesco became more interested in Florverdeflowers after a 2006 visit to Colombia, andMarks & Spencer has significantly increased itsorders as a result.27

But while Florverde’s standards are meant toensure environmentally friendly practices andsafe working conditions, we found the markgives no such guarantee. On Florverde farms,36% of the toxic chemicals used wereconsidered to be ‘extremely’ or ‘highly’ toxicby theWorld Health Organisation, accordingto a 2005 study.28

When we interviewed workers on Florverdefarms they complained of job-related medicalproblems such as repetitive strain injury, andthat they were banned from organising aunion to negotiate health safeguards andbetter pay.The real focus of the Florverde

standard is not on improving workingconditions but on trying to improve theinternational competitiveness of theColombian flower industry, as shown inAsocoflores’ summary of the standard:“Tomake Asocoflores-related floriculturesustainable and competitive.”

While the standard does nominally providefor trade union recognition, it offers nospecific protection for independent unions.The assumption in the industry, and in theFlorverde standard, is that there are no tradeunions.The focus is instead on ways for thecompanies to supplant the role of unions withnational associations and company-runcomplaints systems. Lidia, on a Florverde farm,confirmed that joining a trade union wasdifficult if not impossible.“The farm tried tobribe the workers to leave the union, and gavebonuses, vacations and food subsidies toworkers who weren’t part of the union.Weare discriminated against because we areorganised.”

Without trade unions, workers are virtuallyunable to challenge farm managers about poorworking conditions and breaches of flowerstandards.

11

Claudia Lucia Quevedo spoke oncamera about the poor conditions on

her Florverde certified farm.To seeher video testimony and that of other

Colombian flower workers, go towww.waronwant.org/cutflowers

12

Take action

War onWant believes that companies mustbe held accountable for their actions aroundthe world. In particular we believe thatworkers overseas should be able to seekredress in the UK when they suffer as a resultof the action of UK companies or theirsuppliers.Yet the UK government prefers tosupport the voluntary approach of ‘corporatesocial responsibility’, despite the fact that thishas been shown to be an ineffectivealternative to regulation.As long as thepolitical will to rein in corporate power islacking in our elected leaders, it is up to us toapply pressure.We are asking all readers andsupporters to take the following actions:

1. Call on the UK government to adoptlegislation that will give workers overseas theright of redress in the UK when they suffer asthe result of UK companies or their suppliers.Please write to Rt HonAlistair Darling MP,Secretary of State forTrade and Industry,calling on the government to abandon itspromotion of voluntary alternatives andsupport binding regulation instead. His addressis Department of Trade and Industry, 1VictoriaStreet, London SW1H 0ET.

2. Contact the supermarkets. MajorUK supermarkets are increasingly sourcingtheir cut flowers from developing countries.Members of the public can contact the majorsupermarkets direct and voice their concernabout their impacts on local communities andworkers as detailed in this report.

To contact Asda, write to Andy Bond, ChiefExecutive,Asda House, Southbank, GreatWilson Street, Leeds LS11 5AD, or phone0113 243 5435.

To contact Marks & Spencer, write to StuartRose, Chief Executive, Marks & Spencer,Waterside House, 35 NorthWharf Road,LondonW2 1NW, or phone 020 7935 4422.

To contact Sainsbury’s, write to Justin King,Chief Executive, J Sainsbury plc, 33 Holborn,London EC1N 2HT, or phone 020 7695 6000.

To contact Tesco, write to Sir Terry Leahy,Chief Executive, NewTesco House, DelamareRoad, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire EN8 9SL, orphone 01992 632222.

To contactWaitrose, write to Steven Esom,Managing Partner,Waitrose Limited, DoncastleRoad, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 8YA, orphone 0800 188 884.

3. Shop smart.There aren’t many genuinealternatives in terms of cut flowers. Fairtradeflowers guarantee that the workers are paid ahigher wage, the farms meet basicenvironmental and labour standards andworkers can exercise their right to collectivebargaining.While this is an important step,Fairtrade applies to only a tiny fraction of theflowers on sale in Britain. It is thereforeimperative that the government enactmeaningful legislation on the industry as awhole, and that consumers continue topressure the supermarkets to act responsibly.

4. Join Us!We need your support tocontinue our campaigning on corporateaccountability. Become a member and followour work at www.waronwant.org


1. M Varona, J Tolosa, O Cárdenas, C Tores, D Pardo, G Carrasquilla, HFrumkin, ‘Descripción del uso manejo de plaguicidas en las empresasde flores afiliadas a Asocoflores,’ Biomedica 25, 2005; M Restrepo, NMuñoz, N E Day, J Parra, C Hernandez, M Blettner et al, ‘Birth DefectsAmong Children Born to a Population Occupationally Exposed toPesticides in Colombia,’ Scandanavian Journal of Work, Environment &Health 16, 1990; L M Pastore, I Hertz-Picciotto, J J Beaumont, ‘Risk ofStillbirth from Occupational and Residential Exposures,’ Occupationaland Environmental Medicine 54, 1997

2. A Evans, ‘Retail Battle Creeps onto Growers’ Doorstep,’ FloraCultureInternational Online Digital Magazine, February 2007

3. ‘Floral Industry,’ The Flower Expert: Online Flower Encyclopaedia,January 2007

4. Calculated by authors from data found in Industry Info:The UKMarket, Flower and Plants Association, February 2007

5. Data from ITC ComTrade, quoted in SADC Trade DevelopmentProgramme, Trade Information Brief: Cut Flowers

6. Flower and Plants Association, ‘Industry Info: Imported Flowers andPlants,’ February 2007

7. International Labor Rights Foundation, ‘Working Paper: Codes ofConduct in Cut Flower Industry,’ September 2003.

8. J Goodman, ‘Colombian Flower Union Fights for Flower Farm’Associated Press, 18 October 2006

9. J Vidal, ‘How Your Supermarket Flowers Empty Kenya’s Rivers’ TheGuardian, 21 October 2006

10. K Watkins, ‘Deadly Blooms,’ The Guardian, 29 August 2001

11. International Labor Rights Foundation, ‘Fairness in Flowers,’February 2007

12. Pesticide Action Network North America, ‘Flower Workers HeavilyExposed to Pesticides,’ Global Pesticide Campaigner 12.2, August 2002

13. Oxfam, Trading Away Our Rights:WomenWorking in Global SupplyChains, 2004

14.The monthly living wage is calculated at £197/847,336 Colombianpesos

15. O Ogodo & J Vidal, ‘Drained of Life,’ The Guardian, 14 February2007

16. Corporación Cactus, Resultados de la encuesta ‘La contratacióndirecta y la organización...derechos por reconquistar’ en empresasexportadoras al RU, November 2005

17. S Bloomfield, ‘Where Have All the Flowers Gone?:Thorns Amongthe Roses,’ Independent, 3 October 2006

18. Women Working Worldwide, ‘Promoting Women Workers’ Rightsin African Horticulture: Uganda, Kenya,Tanzania, Zambia,’ Project BulletinNo 2, November 2006

19. Corporación Cactus, as note 16

20. N Mena and S Proaño, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace:The CutFlower Industry: Case Study Northern Sierra of Ecuador, April 2005

21.The Solidarity Center, Justice for All: The Struggle for Worker Rights inColombia, May 2006

22. J Goodman, 'Colombian Flower Union Fights fo Flower Farm,'Houston Chronicle, 18 October 2006

23.Telephone call with Untraflores, 16 February 200722.

24. M Omosa et al, Briefing Paper No 2: Assessing the Social Impact ofCodes of Practice in the Kenyan Cut Flower Industry, National ResourcesInstitute, 2006

25. C Dolan, M Opondo and S Smith. Report No 2768: Gender, Rights& Participation in the Kenya Cut Flower Industry, National ResourcesInstitute, 2002

26. International Labor Organisation, Summary of the Study Report onDecent Work in Floriculture: Ethiopia, National Consultative Workshopon Decent Work in Floriculture, October 2006

27. Colombian Association of Flower Exporters (Asocolflores),‘Florverde gains strength in the United Kingdom,’ Fresh News, secondquarter 2006

28. J Goodman, 'Colombian Flower Growers Struggle to Cut PesticideUse,' Associated Press, 12 February 2007

Notes

Appendix: How the research was conducted

This report was researched in consultation with Cactus, Untraflores and the KenyanWomenWorkersOrganisation (KEWWO), our partners, and with other workers’ organisations covering the cut flowerindustry. More than 30 flower workers were interviewed in January and February 2007, and theirtestimonies were cross-referenced with similar studies.We did not seek out worst-case farms. Ourresearchers spoke to workers from typical farms, several of which are certified to their country’snational standard.

All workers interviewed work on flower farms or plantations that supply the UK.

Published March 2007

Written and researched by Anna Morser and Simon McRae.

War on Want

Development House

56-64 Leonard Street

London EC2A 4LT, UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7549 0555

Fax: +44 (0)20 7549 0556

E-mail: [email protected]

www.waronwant.org

Printed on recycled paper

Company limited by guarantee Reg. No. 629916. Charity No. 208724

War on Want

War on Want fights poverty in developing countries in partnership and

solidarity with people affected by globalisation.We campaign for

workers’ rights and against the root causes of global poverty, inequality

and injustice.

Cover picture: Colombian flower worker covers her face while sorting

flowers. Photo: Elcio Carriço/War on Want.

growing pains - war on want

Documents