On 13th September the GMB joined
forces with our Costa Rican sister union SITRAP and representatives
signed a co-operation agreement: both unions will now be working in
partnership together to fight the exploitation of workers in Costa
Rica, helping to share the struggle.
Thanks to
all of you who have already sent cheques to help SITRAP trade union
activist, Allan Hernandez Venegas and his family, in
response to our GMB Christmas Appeal. Unfortunately, owing to the
preponderance of scam e-mails soliciting money, and gremlins in the
system that prevented us from including photographs, many of you
were not convinced that the appeal was
genuine.
I am happy to confirm that
the appeal is indeed above board and would reiterate my request for
cheques made payable to our NGO partner, Banana Link, and sent to
me at the address below or to me at GMB Head Office, 22/24 Worple
Road, London, SW19 4DD. Banana Link will ensure that all the funds
reach Allan's family and their website is at http://www.bananalink.org.uk/ should
you want to check them out.
In order to provide you with a method of validating this I have
arranged for this message to be place on the GMB National Website
at http://www.gmb.org.uk/
I will also publish a report
there on how much you raise and how Allan and his family get on
with rebuilding their home. Should you have any questions or
queries in connection with this matter, do not hesitate to contact
me at the address below or on bert.schouwenburg@gmb.org.uk
Regards,
Bert Schouwenburg,
Organiser & International Officer
GMB London Region
691 Fulham Road
London
SW6 5UJ
Telephone: 0207 736 5683
Fax: 0207 371 7457
GMB Delegation visit to Costa
Rica by Elaine Daley, GMB Central Executive Council
Member
Images of Casa Quemada
Allan Hernandez Venegas is a SITRAP activist who has been
recruiting members to the Union in the Del Monte pineapple
plantation of Saint Peter, situated in the Limon province of Costa
Rica. One day in early December, he went to church with his wife
and two children, aged 3 and 6. When they returned home, they found
that their house had burnt to the ground. They were left with
nothing but the clothes they were wearing at the time and, as you
can see in the picutures above, even the little girl's bicycle that
had been bought for Christmas was destroyed. SITRAP officials
suspect that the fire was no accident but, at this stage, they
cannot prove it was arson. Nevertheless Allan and his family are in
dire straits and need your help. I know that there are many calls
on your resources but this is a direct attack on one a trade union
activist doing his best to make members for GMB’s sister union in
the most difficult of circumstances. Please circulate this appeal
for funds as widely as possible amongst your trade union contacts
so that we can help Allan and his family and send a message to our
comrades in Costa Rica that their fight is our fight and they are
not alone.
Cheques should be sent to Bert Schouwenburg GMB 22/24 Worple
Road LONDON SW19 4DD and made payable to "Banana Link" who will
ensure that the money gets to Allan.