The Firestone Natural Rubber Company recently published the latest edition of it’s newsletter, Firestone Voice.  In the newsletter, Firestone lauds the new collective bargaining agreement signed the the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (FAWUL), a new water treatment facility and a scholarship program for students.

Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)

Initial reports from the Firestone plantation raise questions about whether or not Firestone is implementing it’s commitments in the historic CBA signed with FAWUL.  More information will be available soon.  Please send an e-mail to Firestone calling on them to hold up their end of the contract.

Water Treatment Facility

Pollution has long been a problem on the Firestone plantation.  In August of this year, the Liberia-based Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) raised concerns in a public statement about the environmental impact of the new water treatment facility Firestone is building.  You can read the SAMFU statement here.  SAMFU also addressed environmental problems on the Firestone plantation in a recent report here (see page 17-18).

Education

The issue of education on the Firestone plantation was explored by SAMFU in their recent report “The Heavy Load” which you can read online here (the education section is on page 12-13).

We will continue to track the situation on the ground on Firestone’s rubber plantation in Liberia, so please continue to visit this site for more information and ways to support workers and communities in Liberia affected by Firestone.