David Ransom, Wednesday, March 12, 2008
On March 2nd, Guatemalan banana union leader, Miguel Angel Ramirez of
SITRABANSUR, was shot dead. SITRABANSUR, which is affiliated to Banana
Links Guatemala partner union UNSITRAGUA, was founded by Miguel Ramirez
and his fellow workers at the 'Olga Maria' plantation in the Pacific
South of Guatemala in July 2007. Since then SITRABANSUR members have
been harassed and threatened by private security hired by the company
-Frutera Internacional Sociedad AnĂ³nima, supplier to Chiquita Brands-
and 24 union members have been sacked. UNSITRAGUA has been working with
SITRABANSUR to support these sacked workers and strengthen union
organisation on the Olga Maria plantation.
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