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Dominican Republic: Union collaborates with businesses, NGOs and churches to reach workers in national affiliation drive

Friday, June 21st, 2024 in: News

Banana plantation workers in the Dominican Republic are affiliating to the workers’ union SINTRAPBAM. Across the country, union leader Crusito Toribio and colleagues have been leading the affiliation drive in the three banana producing regions of Montecristi, Mao Valverde and Azua. The union has forged strong and innovative alliances with local businesses, NGOs and the Haitian churches to reach workers and represent their interests.

Below: a meeting with workers at the Hispañola Fresh Fruit plantation in Botoncillo

Above (3): The union has carried out extensive visits to farms and plantations to speak to men and women workers

Earlier this year, union leader Crusito Toribio visited banana producing companies and their associations across the country, and supported the renewal of contracts for 350 smallholder ‘parceleros’ with producing company Global Banana. The union is keen to work with business to find solutions to the problems that have affected the industry in recent years, which has seen a significant downturn in production levels.

Above: The union supported the renewal of smallholder contracts with Global Banana at the offices of Fairtrade in Botoncillo, Villa Vasquez, earlier this year. In total, 350 smallholder ‘parceleros’ had their contracts renewed.
Above: a regional meeting of business leaders and producers’ associations met with the aim of finding solutions to the problems affecting production.
Above: union coordinator Ivelisse Beltres meets with community leaders to discuss the affiliation campaign in the southern region of Azua.
Above: meeting with business leaders supporting the union outreach work at Ranchadero de Guayabin in the Northeast.

The union is a close partner of the Fundacion Etnica Integral, a Dominican non-profit with over 20 years of experience working with migrant workers and their families. It has also forged close ties with local NGO the Socio-Cultural Movement for Workers of Haitian Origin (MOSCTHA) who run mobile health clinics, and the Congregation of Pastors of the Haitian Church, whose support has been indispensable in enabling the union to engage with the large portion of the workforce who are of Haitian origin.

Above (2): General Secretary Crusito Toribio has formed a close alliance with the Congregation of Pastors of the Haitian Church
Above: Local NGO FEI with graduates of a social entrepreneurship and crafts course

The union has benefited from the Dominican government’s ‘Comunidad Segura’ program, which has provided the funding to appoint two community managers to support the union consolidation.

Above: General Secretary Crustio Toribio (left) and fellow member of the leadership team Daniel Coeuranor met to coordinate the outreach and affiliation work
Above (4): Large numbers of workers across the country have affiliated to the union in recent weeks

Over the last two years, the union has rolled-out a series of training and capacity building programmes across the country. Women’s empowerment has been a central theme of recent training work. More training is planned for later this year.

Below (3): Union-led training sessions with women workers 

Below: General Secretary Crusito Toribio with a worker on a recent farm visit

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