Editorial

In September 2025, we felt a little stress at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Our trade union friends from Colombia only had one hour transfer time for the flight to Jakarta. Fortunately, they made it just in time and were able to join FNV members and the colleagues from Ghana. We were on our way to the third meeting of the International Palm Oil Workers United in Indonesia (IPOWU).

Trade union members from Colombia and Indonesia met for the first time in the Netherlands in 2023, together with the FNV and a colleague from the international IUF union, that also includes agricultural workers. We started sharing experiences and soon saw similarities between the different producing countries, such as inadequate protective equipment, low wages, and poor contracts. We also examined the chain together. Which companies are important? Who are the major buyers and is there any overlap? In addition, we visited two refineries in the Netherlands, Cargill and Sime Darby. For the first time, the workers who harvest the palm oil saw what happens to their product in the Netherlands. And how well safety is ensured here – with goggles, safety shoes and clear regulations. So why isn't this also the case on their plantations?
 

Together, we came up with our name and logo, and decided to research the use of agrochemicals and wages. These studies were carried out in collaboration with trade unions in three countries: Ghana, Indonesia and Colombia.

In 2024, the second IPOWU meeting was held in Colombia. Late that year, we discussed the research into pesticides with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the most important certification body for palm oil. A few buyers from the Netherlands also participated. We also presented the research to Cargill, Sime Darby, SD Guthrie and LIDL. We will continue our efforts in the coming years to raise the issue higher on the agenda and enforce concrete agreements. Meanwhile, we have heard from the trade unions that real improvements have already been made on some plantations, following consultation with the unions, and that there is certainly much greater awareness of the issue.
 

The research into wages is almost complete and will be used at all levels, from plantations to local government, and from national government to buyers in the chain, as well as RSPO and ultimately supermarkets.
 

This second IPOWU newsletter reports on recent achievements and how the network has supported not only international, but also local trade union work. You can also read the personal stories of people working in the palm oil sector. At our third IPOWU meeting, in 2025 in Indonesia, we saw what has been achieved as a group. Participants were delighted to see one another again. They communicated with the help of translation apps and shared experiences. They made jokes and sang karaoke together on the bus. This human aspect is essential in international trade union cooperation. It makes you feel like an international family that stands up for one another. Together, we have built a good and solid foundation. Here's to the next five years of cooperation!

Astrid Kaag
Palm Oil Coordinator, Mondiaal FNV