IPOWU:

The International Palm Oil Workers United (IPOWU) is three years old. Palm oil production is a global affair, so this network founded in Utrecht, the Netherlands, brings together trade unions from four continents. What do trade unions in Colombia, Ghana and Indonesia think of the network?

This year, IPOWU's influence was truly tangible. There were two cases in Columbia in which trade unionists were dismissed. The unrest at the Gradesa company was caused by collective bargaining that dragged on for too long. The union had submitted its demands almost a year before, but the company kept delaying negotiations. The Colombian trade union coordination on palm oil decided on a two-day strike to increase the pressure. The company argued that the strike was illegal and decided to fire ten union workers. However, according to the unions, the action was not illegal, as the workers had indicated they had had enough and were prepared to strike. Thanks to a protest letter from IPOWU, the dismissals were reversed.

At the Palmosan company, two employees allegedly made a mistake. They were summarily dismissed by one of the managers. However, the trade union thought the mistake was minor and pointed out that no thorough examination had been carried out. Moreover, the workers had not been given the opportunity to defend themselves. This situation was also rectified thanks to IPOWU.

COLOMBIA - "The added value of IPOWU is mainly the support"

Ruben Samaca is vice-president of the Colombian trade union federation CUT in the Santander region. But he is also directly involved in the field, as he harvests palm fruit every day. He says that participation in IPOWU stems from the Colombian trade union coordination for palm oil. "The coordination is an alliance of four palm oil trade unions. We also lobby politicians together. Two or three people, including myself, participate in the international network. Just this morning we had an online meeting of IPOWU."

Samaca is pleased with IPOWU's intervention. "I think the reversal of the dismissals is linked to the main buyers of the companies’ palm oil being Dutch. So when a letter arrives signed by the Dutch Astrid Kaag, it is perceived as a warning." Samaca clearly sees the added value of IPOWU. "It’s the support. Last year, an international group from IPOWU came to Colombia. One of the visits took place on my plantation. It is good that employers see us enjoying international support. I believe the IPOWU visit made an impression."

The international network and guidance from the FNV are important for the Colombian trade unions. "But now we are worried," says Samaca. "The FNV has indicated that it is uncertain whether the support can continue next year." Meanwhile, the Colombian trade union coordination for palm oil has set up a union school for palm oil workers. "We are not sure we can carry on with that without financial support." Samaca says that the international network and the exchange it involves are very inspiring. "Now we are in touch with trade union colleagues in other parts of the world. We should have started this much earlier."

GHANA - "IPOWU is an eye opener"

Collins Osei Konadu is an expert in the palm oil sector, as he works for Ghana's agricultural trade union GAWU, as well as for Independent Smallholders (in palm oil), and the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company. "We mainly deal with farmers in the oil palm sector, where we provide technical support such as training in modules of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO): on child and forced labour, the handling and use of chemicals, grievances and dispute resolution, sexual harassment, land use law, farm recordkeeping and so on."
 

Konadu is enthusiastic, although he has only been involved in the palm oil project for a short time. "Last year, I travelled to Colombia for the first time to find out what was happening in the oil palm sector in other parts of the world. GAWU informed us that based on this international cooperation, we were also going to start something here in Ghana with our colleagues from Nigeria, Liberia and Cameroon."
 

Konadu too participates in IPOWU. He sees it as a larger network where problems experienced by workers in the palm oil industry can be addressed at the international level. "IPOWU focuses on the welfare of workers in the palm oil industry and promotes worker solidarity and decent work on all plantations. Through IPOWU, members see how grievances are handled in different parts of the world. With the monthly and quarterly meetings, we can stay in touch with others and learn from them."
 

He sees much added value in this international network. "The network gives us the opportunity to share and learn from colleagues in other countries. It has many training programmes that teach us to claim workers' rights and benefits. Through this project, GAWU is looking at our gender and occupational health and safety (OHS) policies to see whether they are employee friendly. We are also reviewing our policy on sexual harassment. We recently learned how to use Kobo Toolbox for surveys and monitoring, to help us collect data for our collective agreement and other policies we want to review. That is definitely added value."
 

For Konadu, IPOWU is "an eye opener". It has prompted GAWU to set up an association of Ghana's palm oil trade unions, "so we can exchange ideas and look at the differences and similarities in our collective bargaining and during the review of salaries and wages."

INDONESIA - "Palm oil is worldwide"

Ismet Inoni is coordinator of KBS, the Indonesian palm oil coalition, and active in the palm oil trade union GSBI. KBS is already working hard to improve the working conditions of palm oil sector workers. The coalition consists of eight NGOs and twelve trade unions. "We have for some time been working internationally with different organizations, including the FNV," says Inoni. "Last year, I was with them on missions in the Netherlands, Belgium and the EU. Later, I was also in Colombia with IPOWU." As KBS is of course part of IPOWU, he adds. "Palm oil is not only in Indonesia and Asia, but worldwide. There are also plantations in Africa and Latin America where abuses take place. That's why we must unite, so we can act together against the companies."
 

Inoni is convinced that trade unions can strengthen their position through IPOWU. "By campaigning internationally, we increase the pressure on companies. In addition, we can exchange experiences, complement one another, evaluate our needs and pass on learnt lessons." He mentions the success of IPOWU in Colombia early this year as a fine example. "We saw how solidarity works in practice. We supported and encouraged one another. The fact that the dismissals were all reversed is, in my opinion, not only due to IPOWU, but also to the combined strength of Colombia’s trade unions."
 

Inoni believes that the international network can only grow in future, as there are, after all, more countries working in palm oil. He is looking forward to the conference in September, when delegations from participating countries will come to Indonesia for onsite meetings and field visits.

Interviews: Astrid van Unen