Close to one hundred children at the Institución Educativa San José in the Nepeña valley (Ancash region) suffered severe intoxication when the Agroindustrias San Jacinto ordered on 17 May the aerial spraying of insecticides in a sugarcane field next to the school. Students suffered head and stomach aches, throat burning sensation and body tremors. Three …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/peru-school-kids-intoxicated-aerial-spraying-insecticide-san-jacinto/
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/zambia-nupaaw-reaches-agreement-illovos-zambia-sugar/
India: Drought, Cane, Child Marriage, Failed Policies
A commentary with notes from a friend
It is, unfortunately, a common situation. The Internet edition of the Times of India posted an article untitled “Drought & distress push 14-year-olds into marriage in Marathwada’s Jalna district.” Nothing new, unfortunately, in one of the largest sugar producer in the world, and in an …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/india-drought-cane-child-marriage-failed-policies/
Sexual Harassment. A case in the sugar sector of Kenya
By Caroline Busaka and Judith Siwa
At a recent IUF Sugar workshop with KUSPAW, Caroline Busaka made general comments about a sexual harassment case she has learned directly from the victim. With no references to personal details, and having changed some of the circumstances, the following is an attempt to keep the core …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/sexual-harassment-case-sugar-sector-kenya/
Guyana: Closing Wales without consultation cannot be a move forward for GuySuCo
Commentary and Request for Solidarity Messages
I know the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) since 1982. It is a union who works hard on behalf of the workers in one of the country’s key economic pillars: sugar The sector is owned and run by the state under the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), with …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/guyana-closing-wales-like-cannot-move-forward-guysuco/
Working in the boilers section of a sugar factory in Kenya
Video and information by Miriam Wanyama, KUSPAW
After hearing some workers’ complains, I visited the boilers and power house sections of the sugar estate in Kenya where I work. This video is of one boiler attendant.
The boilers, where heat is generated to produce steam, are old fashioned, and workers have to manually …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/working-in-the-boilers-section-of-a-sugar-factory-in-kenya/
Kenya: Confronting sexual harassment in the sugar sector. Joint work with KUSPAW (Chapter III)
In her remarks to the Chemelil-Muhoroni workshop, Caroline told us about a conversation she once had with a female colleague. The colleague, she said, had complained of ongoing sexual harassment at work, and had approached her for help – or at least to have someone to talk to. Caroline suggested accompanying her to talk to …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/kenya-confronting-sexual-harassment-in-the-sugar-sector-joint-work-with-kuspaw-chapter-iii/
South Africa: Confronting sexual harassment in the sugar sector: Joint work with FAWU (Chapter II)
From 1-5 February, the IUF Sugar and Palm Oil project held joint activities with the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) that focused on issues of concern for women workers. Some twenty delegates from the Sezela Sugar Estate and neighbouring cane farms participated and heard reports on the local situation and from Harden Heights, a …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/south-africa-confronting-sexual-harassment-in-the-sugar-sector-joint-work-with-fawu-ii/
South Africa and Kenya: Confronting sexual harassment in the sugar sector (Chapter I)
The IUF Sugar and Palm Oil project in 2015-2017 works to strengthen unions by encouraging women workers to actively participate in the life of their unions and proactively engaging employers on working conditions. While there are three main topics covered by the project, namely Equality, Maternity Protection, with emphasis on Child Care facilities at the …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/south-africa-and-kenya-confronting-sexual-harassment-in-the-sugar-sector-i/
Jamaica: Pan Caribbean Sugar latest redundancies
On 20 January, reports Jamaica media, three hundred and eight five workers will lose their jobs in Monymusk and in Frome, two sugar factories run by Pan-Caribbean Sugar. Two hundred and seventy nine mostly farm workers in the former; one hundred and six evenly split between farm and factory operations in the latter.
Union representatives …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.iuf.org/sugarworkers/jamaica-pan-caribbean-sugar-latest-redundancies/