"Dear GMB,
We send you cordial greetings and at
the same wish you blessings of the Creator [they got
religion, remember]. Also to tell you that we are more
than grateful for all the help that you have given us since the
tragedy that occurred on December 5th, 2009. Thank you for your
solidarity. Last year we were able to have a Christmas with
presents, food and, above all, hope for the coming year.
When your help arrived to erect our house, it was a dream come
true for my family and your colaboration was of great importance
because, thanks to God and people like you, we are already
living in our lovely home. Even though you don't know us, we bless
you all. Thank you for the last tranche of money that will be
invested on things we need for the house. We wish a merry Xmas to
SITRAP and to all the comrades of GMB.
Allan Hernandez
PS We should say that the money you
sent us will be used for things we need like drainage, painting and
for some food and also for the possibility of investing some of it
into a small family pineapple growing project insomuch as Allan has
found it impossible to get work in the agriculture industry of the
zone. Thanks for everything. Blessings.
The Hernandez Family"
The House That GMB Members
Built
Here it is nearly finished - the house that GMB members
built.
The appeal for Alan 
Hernandez and his family raised £2614 for which we
thank everyone who contributed and that the appeal is now
closed.
On 13th September 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.
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.