Natural Fruit urged to drop case against activist
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The Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) urged Thailand's Natural Fruit Co to drop its court case against activist Andy Hall, saying that it is time for cooperation rather than litigation.
Hall today showed up at the Phra Khanong Provincial Court to face a libelling charge. He was confident that he could win the case.
If proved guilty, he will face a 1-year maximum prison term under this charge.
BSCI is a leading business-driven initiative for companies committed to improving working conditions in factories and farms.
"Constructive cooperation, support and thus dialogue are therefore BSCI’s main core values and we believe these should be the principles guiding this case. The actions taken by the Thai producer will only have a negative impact on the country’s industry and consumers’ trust," it said in a statement released on September 1.
In the statement, it expressed great concern about civil and criminal charges pressed by Thai-based Natural Fruit Company against activist Andy Hall. These charges pertain to his actions in reporting labour abuses at the premises of the pineapple producer in a report called “Cheap has a High Price”, published by Finnish NGO Finnwatch.
"BSCI acknowledges the essential role NGOs play in ensuring the protection of workers’ rights, and engages regularly with different stakeholders to create synergies and deepen impact. For this reason, BSCI joins the international motion calling on the Thai pineapple industry to drop charges against Hall and to engage in a constructive dialogue that addresses the accusations raised in the report," it said.
It also implied that the BSCI approach is built on a step-by-step development process in which participating companies and producers work together to achieve sustainable and long-lasting improvements in their supply chain’s working conditions.
BSCI's statement was released three days after Ethical Trading Initiative, a global organisation advocating workers' rights, made a similar call.
In its statement, Ethical Trading Initiative said "We join trade unions and labour rights groups in calling for the Thai pineapple industry to drop legal action against a British labour rights activist, and focus on respecting workers’ rights in the sector."
"We are extremely concerned to learn of the civil and criminal charges against Hall, who produced the 2012 report “Cheap has a high price” for Finnwatch. We believe that a process of constructive engagement would be a more effective way to address allegations of serious labour rights abuses, rather than recourse to litigation. International consumers are ever more concerned about the providence of products they consume. The onus is on the Thai industry to be able to demonstrate that their pineapples are produced under conditions that meet international standards.
"On behalf of our members, including international trade union organisations and relevant UK supermarkets, we call on the Thai pineapple industry to withdraw legal action against Hall. We specifically call on the Thai Pineapple Industry Association (TPIA) to use its influence with the Natural Fruit Company in this matter, and to address the serious accusations set out in the report."
