Usdaw going bananas at Notting Hill Carnival

Under-threat banana growers are to receive a public show of support from Usdaw, as volunteers from the UK's fifth biggest union join the campaign to avert economic disaster in four Caribbean islands.

At the Notting Hill Carnival 2004 (held over the August bank holiday weekend), Banana Link and Usdaw will combine forces to raise awareness of a crisis in the global banana trade.

The EU plans to abolish quotas which have allowed Caribbean banana growers to compete with cheaper competitors from Latin America. It wants to bring in a tax, which campaigners say could spell the end of the banana industries in St Lucia, Jamaica, St Vincent and Dominica.

Nearly all Caribbean bananas are sold in Britain.

Renwick Rose, co-ordinator of the Winward Islands Farmers' Association, said: "This is our last chance to save the life-blood of our islands. We have the support of our governments, of our industry and of Latin American workers. Now we need the support of the British consumer to reverse this EU decision. The so-called 'tariff-only' banana import policy would be the straw that breaks the camel's back."

Ruth Cross, Usdaw Women and Equalities Officer, said: "Usdaw has participated in a number of ventures with Banana Link in recent years because we have a common interest in making sure workers are treated fairly - whether that be workers picking bananas in the Caribbean or workers selling them in shops and supermarkets here."

Volunteers from Usdaw are joining forces with Banana Link to create a Caribbean banana float for the Notting Hill Carnival, and will hand out stickers and leaflets urging people to call on the UK government to help save the banana industries of the four islands.

Notes to Editors:

• More information on how you can support the campaign is available at www.bananalink.org.uk.

• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.

• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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