Banana Link

General information

Do you know that Bananas are the single biggest profit making items sold in British supermarkets? Do you know that the workers who grow and harvest these bananas often live in poverty, work back-breaking 12 hour days and suffer from daily contact with toxic pesticides? Do you know that trade union members and organisers working to defend the rights and improve the lives of banana workers are routinely intimidated, harassed and sometimes even killed? Do you know that the major banana companies can drive down living and working conditions in impoverished nations, distort trade and one has even been found guilty of funding paramilitary organisations to kill banana workers? Do you know what Banana Link is?

Banana Link is a small and dynamic not-for-profit co-operative, that campaigns for a fair and sustainable banana trade. We work in close partnership with Latin American banana workers trade unions, small Caribbean farmers and civil society organizations in Europe and the U.S. We aim to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in the major banana exporting regions of the world and creating a sustainable banana economy by:

• campaigning and lobbying, nationally and internationally, for decent living and working conditions for banana workers and to prevent environmental degradation;

• building and strengthening alliances with small farmers' organisations in the Caribbean and banana workers' trade unions in Latin America and a range of civil society organisations in Europe and North America;

• providing educational services and a specialised research and information service on the international banana trade

• promoting sustainable policies including Fairtrade labelled bananas to international organisations such as the EU and WTO, companies and retailers.

You can help by spreading awareness about the banana industry. Invite as many people as possible to this group

Please email Banana Link for more information or visit our website