The accusation comes from War on Want,
which says many employees in Kenya and Colombia have seen
no improvement in their pay and conditions a year since
the anti-poverty charity reported widespread abuses in the
cut flowers sector.
New research shows Kenyan and Colombian staff toiling up
to 14 hours a day preparing flowers for Valentine’s
Day for less than half a living wage – too little
to meet the costs of food, housing and healthcare. In Kenya
workers at smallholdings which export their flowers through
larger farms receive on average only £20 a month,
or less than 10p an hour.
A third of all blooms sold in Europe come from Kenya, while
many UK supermarkets are also increasing their imports from
Colombia’s cut flower farms.
Most of the employees in Kenya and Colombia are single mothers,
struggling to raise children with one income.
Many staff engaged in repeated tasks and exposed to pesticides
without adequate protection report sickness, including swollen
legs, backache, vomiting and chest pains. Employees are
more likely to suffer repetitive strain injuries in the
run-up to Valentine’s Day as they work longer hours
to meet heavier demand.
Casualisation of labour is another problem. Three in four
Kenyan staff are on temporary contracts that deny them basic
employment rights such as maternity leave.
The findings are based on a report due for publication soon
by War on Want’s partner, the Kenya Women Workers’
Organisation, and information from the charity’s Colombian
partner, Cactus.
Simon McRae, senior campaigns officer at War on Want, said:
“British retailers must be heartless in exploiting
overseas workers who grow their flowers. These firms have
had years to keep their ethical commitments on decent pay
and conditions for their suppliers. If Gordon Brown really
cares about poor people, he should legislate against this
corporate abuse.”
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