Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ened tensions between the company and contract growers: ''Last night,
sympathizers (manos piadosas) destroyed fruit that the company had
ready [to transport]. We're starting to get New Year's presents (aguinal-
dos).''
24
At virtually the same time,Tela Railroad Companydock and rail-
road workers went on strike in protest over layoffs and deep wage cuts.
The government of Mejía Colindres moved to end the strike by declar-
ing martial lawand sending troops to force the strikers back towork.The
strike ended with in one week when the company agreed to provide food
and housing for dismissed workers.
25
The wage cuts were not rescinded.
Contract growers—manyof whom were influential members of President
Mejía Colindres's Liberal party—fared somewhat better. In mid-January,
El Pueblo reported that Bográn and Da Costa Gómez met with the head
of the Tela Railroad Company in La Lima.
26
Thegrowersrequestedare-
instatement of the old prices for a period of sixty days, but the company
argued that this was impossible due to a downturn in the market. Instead,
company ocials agreed to increase the price ''immediately'' when the
economic situation improved and to install fruit inspectors who ''would
give fair receipts.'' Unsatisfied with these promises, the growers' represen-
tatives traveled to Tegucigalpa to meet with government ocials. Shortly
thereafter,thegovernmentconsentedtolowerfreightratesonthenational
railroadprovidedthattheTelaRailroadCompany(whichundertheterms
of the contract was responsible for shipping costs) would raise the price
paid for non-company fruit a proportionate amount.
ShortlyafterSulavalleybananagrowersreachedthecompromisewith
thenationalgovernmentandUnitedFruit,DaCostaGómezreportedthat
his association had entered into negotiations with Russell English of Mo-
bile, Alabama.
27
Under the proposed terms, growers would sell all of their
high-quality (deprimeracalidad) Gros Michel bananas to English.
28
Pro-
posed purchase prices (nine-hand stem: US$.35; eight-hand stem: US$.25;
and seven-hand stem: US$.15) were considerably lower than those pro-
posed in the 1931 Tela Railroad Company contract, but higher than the
US$.30 offered by that company in 1932.
29
The growers' counterproposal
calledonEnglish'scompanytoincreasepricesby50percentifandwhen
themarketpriceforfruitreached$2.50per100poundsand/orwhenaver-
age fruit weights exceeded 60, 50, and 30 pounds for nine, eight, and
seven-hand stems respectively.
30
In order to verify market prices, growers
askedfortherighttosendarepresentativetotheUnitedStatesatthecom-
pany's expense.The counterproposal also stipulated thatavisosbe posted
every eight days and remain in effect for 36 hours. For their part, the
growers and the government agreed to deliver harvested fruit to Puerto
