Agroaldea
THIS IS HOW THE PRESIDENT MANIFESTED IT IN THE VILLAGE, THE SECRETARY GENERAL AND THE REST OF THE BOARD OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM TRADE UNIONS, EFFAT.
These days Gran Canaria is hosting a high-level meeting of the steering committee of the European project “Demographics of Employment in Agriculture – What it means for workers and what unions can do?”, sponsored by EFFAT and funded by the EU.Within the day of visits planned in the EFFAT agenda, The organization moved to the municipality of La Aldea to learn more about the activity of tomato exports from the Canary Islands and the problems that currently affect it..
EFFAT is a Federation of Unions in the European Agri-Food sector that brings together 200 organizations of 27 countries and represents the interests of more than 7 million European workers.
On the tour to La Aldea, the delegation made up of twenty members of the organization from the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Germany, Czechia, Italy, Bulgaria and Spain, They were accompanied by the president and secretary of FEDEX, the manager of ACETO and the president, the general director and the Rector of COAGRISÁN.
After visiting the cooperative's R&D&i facilities, where they confirmed the commitment to sustainable production with the environment, applying the latest technology and innovation to tomato crops, They traveled to one of the farms in the agricultural urbanization of Las Tabladas to learn about the model and social dimension that COAGRISÁN practices..
The visit continued at the packaging warehouse facilities where the delegation chatted with the members of the works council and from there to the general assembly hall to conclude with an information meeting on the sector and an assessment by the representatives of the EFFAT..
Like this, FEDEX president, José Juan Bonny explained the evolution of the Canary Islands export tomato sector, the causes that have meant that it is on the verge of eviction and the actions that public administrations have carried out to reach this situation.
In his speech, Bonny reflected the difference in the high employability rate of the tomato sector compared to other sectors., linked to aid and the discriminatory distribution of community financing, POSEI, among themselves.
In this way, from FEDEX ACETO they asked EFFAT to join the demand and request of this sector, which was already asked to the European Commissioner for Agriculture on his last visit to the Canary Islands, to link aid to employment in all those instances where it is possible.
On the other hand, the president of the Agriculture sector of EFFAT, Peter Holm, congratulated COAGRISÁN for the great impression that the “excellent, sustainable and respectful” production method as well as “copy” social model that practices and dignifies the worker.
Also, Holm committed to mediate and work for this sector, from the document that was delivered, in all instances of the European Union where it is possible, since Europe cannot renounce this model that is a source of pride for European agricultural workers.
The Secretary General of EFFAT, Arnd Spahn, He joined the president's congratulations and announced that a high-level European meeting will be held next week to address the EU trade agreement. – Morocco.
The organization that will defend will participate in it., among others, the interests of the workers in the affected sectors and invited them to add the proposals they deem appropriate to safeguard the thousands of jobs generated by this activity in the Canary Islands..
Minister of Agriculture and Development of Rhenia-Palatine (Germany), Ulrike Hoefken, present in the entourage, expressed his admiration for this model that manages to complement the search for profits with the dignity of work and respect for the environment and would like the rest of Europe to have the opportunity to learn about it in order to recognize and respect the value of
and what is done with great tenacity here in La Aldea.
The general director of COAGRISÁN, Jacinto Godoy, reviewed the different national and international recognitions that the cooperative has received, highlighting with greater pride the seal “Hire” awarded to the only company in the Canary Islands (only four nationwide) for its commitment to workers of other nationalities.
The general secretary of FEAGRA-CC.OO., Jesus Villar, thanked EFFAT for choosing Gran Canaria and including La Aldea in the development of this European project and highlighted the importance of FEDEX ACETO's role in favor of the social dimension of agriculture.
Villar recognized the merit of COAGRISÁN for the extra cost in all aspects of double insularity and declared that he felt very identified with this model., while highlighting the commitment of his organization to fight against the injustice that is being committed with the tomato export sector of the Canary Islands..
For the national manager of FITAG-UGT, Miguel Rodriguez, COAGRISÁN's most important asset is its workers, For this reason, he congratulated the cooperative and highlighted the way of working and doing things that focuses the activity on employment because that coincides with the principles of his union..
The person in charge of the agri-food branch of CC.OO. in Gran Canaria, Agustin Sosa, He valued the visit as a historical event, not only for its value but for the consequences it will have, which was achieved thanks to the efforts of its organization to not miss the opportunity to publicize the La Aldea model.
Sosa concluded that, based on the statements of the top officials of EFFAT and not because of what we have told them, but for what they themselves have seen, verified and asked, The speech of the local authorities does not agree with what is the reality of a sector that maintains employment and the economy of a municipality like La Aldea.
