During the 2008 year, we visited all our Fair Trade certified producers and accompanied them in the process towards a permanent improvement that Fair Trade certification guarantees. We applied internal control systems to ensure the fulfillment of Fair Trade standards. In doing so, we defined effective implementations of production improvements as we articulated premiums assemblies that begin to define Fair Trade premiums investments.

All commercial operations that are carried out under a Fair Trade program generate premiums that will be invested in order to improve the living conditions of workers and ensure that our certified cooperatives are running smoothly. When the producer is independent, the assembly should determine how to use the whole percentage of the premiums.

Mechanisms of a workers assembly:

Previous to the harvest, a meeting takes place with the workers. In that assembly, the staffs of the Civil Association explain the meaning of Fair Trade, and the compromise that the farm owner has assumed along with the significance of a fair trade premium.

In that same meeting, the workers discuss what they consider to be the principal areas of investment. In this stage, the staff of Interrupción encourages participation among them.

The third function of the meeting consists of the election of the premium committee members. The staff of Interrupción try to encourage an outcome of elected members that represent the group as a whole and to guarantee an even balance, with participation by temporary and permanent workers. The Premium committee is responsible for the budgeting process and the implementation of the investments of the premiums. Of course, these decisions are made with the constant consultation of the Interrupción staff.

The Asociación Civil follows the decision making process to guarantee the appropriate operation of the committee.

The fair trade premiums are invested.

Along the country, we have found some similarities in the necessities of the workers

1- Health coverage difficulties: Not all workers have access to basic medical coverage, nor to discounts provided by their social security or the State. In this regard, each of the assemblies have proposed to create a health fund specifically made for emergency cases.

2- Outside Job training and productive entrepreneurship: Agricultural work is seasonal. Most of the workers migrate to other provinces after the harvest to look for new work opportunities. To prevent this migration some assemblies proposed to create: ESCUELA DE OFICIOS! (Job by trade school) where they can learn: Plumbing, electricity, carpentry and English among other skills. Besides, some workers have also expressed their desire to learn apiculture and pork butcher skills to generate alternative jobs in the farms.

3- Community support: In various opportunities, the assemblies have proposed to invest a percentage of the Premium to support local schools or improve life conditions of nearby towns.

~

Leandro Martelletti

Director Ejecutivo
Asociación Civil Interrupcion*
Grupo Interrupcion*

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