Ubesa, the Ecuadorean banana division of multinational fresh produce group Dole Food Company, has signed a two-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with local workers' union Comité de Empresa de Trabajadores de la Compañía Megabananas.
The union, which is affiliated with Ecuador’s national agro-industrial workers and small farmers’ federation Fenacle, signed the deal last week at Megabanana, a Dole-owned banana farm employing around 500 workers in the central eastern province of Los Ríos.
'The signing of this agreement formalises the constructive dialogue which has prevailed between Dole in Ecuador and Fenacle,' said Peter Gilmore, managing director of Dole Ubesa.
'We are confident that the quality of the relationship and this new CBA will be beneficial not only to the workers but also to the company.'
Prospero Mendoza, Fenacle's general secretary, commented: 'Fenacle congratulates the workers and the company in the efforts they have made to secure real social dialogue and develop stable and cooperative labour relations.'
