FNV executives enthusiastic about IPOWU conference in Indonesia

"Impressive." Such was the verdict of FNV executives Michiel Hallema and Winod Bishesar on their visit to Indonesia during the FNV mission in September. There they met with other trade union members from various countries within the International Palm Oil Workers United (IPOWU) network. They also went on a field visit.

Hallema and Bishesar work for the US multinational Cargill in Rotterdam's Botlek district. The company supplies food, agricultural and industrial products and services all over the world. It processes and refines palm oil into a usable product. Hallema is a screen operator and Bishesar, a senior laboratory technician. Both are involved in the process of refining crude palm oil, which involves the removal of all pesticides.

From 6 to 14 September, they travelled to Indonesia, first Jakarta and later Kalimantan, for meetings and field visits. Hallema, who has been an international executive for several years, also travelled to Colombia for an IPOWU conference last year. Bishesar only recently became involved in international trade union work. All the meetings were new to him. "I am very pleased that I was able to participate," he said. "Here in Rotterdam, I analyze the crude oils, but I didn't know the background. Now I have seen what happens at the front end of the chain and have gained more respect and understanding for their work."

Michiel Hallema and Winod Bishesar in Indonesia

Workers in poverty

At the front end of the chain are workers who spray pesticides on palm oil plantations without proper protective equipment. They do the heavy work of harvesting the fruit during long working days. Women lack changing rooms and their own washrooms, and workers are chronically underpaid. "In Colombia, I already met workers living in poverty who cannot afford mobile internet, for example," says Hallema. "They get up early in the morning to take care of their families before travelling to the plantation to work, and after a long day, they return to care for their families again. Six days a week. In Indonesia, it is possibly even worse. They have nothing and work themselves to the bone, with poor secondary employment conditions."

Easy contact

It is therefore impressive. "It makes you realize how privileged we are," says Hallema, "while they deserve it just as much." Bishesar adds: "It's great that the FNV supports these workers' trade unions." Both are satisfied with the meetings and knowledge exchanges in Indonesia. "The conference was very well organized," says Bishesar. "The interaction between the various trade unionists was very pleasant. It was easy to make contact. I was asked many questions about harmful substances. I answered them as best I could."

Monocultures susceptible to disease

Bishesar had previously observed that the concentration of pesticides in palm oil from Indonesia is decreasing, although dioxins are on the rise. This is due to the burning of old trees on the plantations. The smoke released during this process is absorbed by the palm oil fruits. In the palm oil purification process, the cleaner the oil, the greater the profit. Hallema saw in Indonesia how palm oil trees dominate large parts of the country. "Monocultures are much more susceptible to disease and require more pesticides." They also saw that a certain type of owl had been imported from America to combat the rats that dig up and damage everything on the plantations. "The question is whether that is a good solution." These were all topics of discussion.

Tool for price compensation

Hallema had previously developed an app for his company to automatically calculate the price compensation employees are entitled to. He linked the figures from Statistics Netherlands to the wages of the employees. He made this app available to IPOWU members in other countries. "The tool automatically shows the price compensation and is very useful during negotiations," he said. "The other unions are enthusiastic about it."

Immediately open

Upon their return, both shared their experiences with colleagues – Hallema in the works council, and Bishesar within his department. The use of pesticides is now on the agenda during the quarterly meetings. "Management is open to this, and that has enabled us to make a start," said Bishesar. "We didn't really expect this, and it makes us feel good about our company. That's what you want, because you want to help other countries." Hallema is also pleased with Cargill's willingness to think about the topic. "I am committed to reducing the use of pesticides. So it's great that the site manager and the development lab are on board with this."

Interview: Astrid van Unen