Flower workers in Colombia are mostly women who are not paid a living wage and therefore are unable to provide adequately for their children. They are too often exposed to harmful chemicals that have serious long-term health affects.  Also, workers who try to organize to improve conditions are frequently fired or otherwise denied their basic right to form an independent union.

Around 60% of the flowers sold in the U.S. come from Colombia, and consumers in the U.S. spend over $18 billion on flowers annually. Colombia is required to provide internationally recognized worker rights under the Andean Trade Preference and Eradication Act. Colombia has failed to do so. 

Of most recent concern, the pending Colombia Free Trade Agreement would make these benefits to the Colombia flower industry permanent without improving protection for flower workers. The basic rights of flower workers in Colombia must be respected before considering a free trade agreement with Colombia in any form.

While the flower industry does provide many rural people in Colombia with jobs (over 110,000 directly and 95,000 indirectly), these jobs are unsafe, unreliable and unjust.

Additional information is available at our website: www.usleap.org.

We need your help! Write flower industry leaders and ask them to respect the rights of flower workers in Colombia!