Fyffes melons at centre of labour abuse claims from Honduran workers

Labourers in deprived region complain of poor conditions and say multinational has blocked efforts to form a trade union, allegations denied by Fyffes

Thousands of miles from the supermarkets in the west that they supply with cantaloupes, a community of Honduran melon plantation labourers say they are threatened with dismissal and destitution because they have tried to form a union at their Irish-owned company.

The workers - the vast majority of whom are women - are now appealing to US and European consumers to boycott products sold by the fruit multinational Fyffes until it improves working conditions and allows collective bargaining.