Standard Fruit Company (now Dole plc) was established in the United States in 1924 by the Vaccaro brothers. Its forerunner was started in 1899, when SicilianArbereshimmigrants Joseph, Luca and Felix Vaccaro, together with Salvador D'Antoni, began importing bananas to New Orleans from La Ceiba, Honduras. By 1915, the business had grown so large that it bought most of the ice factories in New Orleans in order to refrigerate its banana ships, leading to its president, Joseph Vaccaro, becoming known as the "Ice King".
Along with the United Fruit Company, Standard Fruit played a significant role in the governments of Honduras and other Central American countries, which became known as "banana republics" due to the high degree of control which the fruit companies held over the nations.
In 1926, the company changed its name from Standard Fruit Company to Standard Fruit & Steamship Company. Between 1964 and 1968, the company was acquired by the Castle & Cooke Corporation, which also acquired James Dole's Hawaiian Pineapple Company (HAPCO) around the same time. In 1991, Castle & Cooke was renamed Dole Food Company. Castle & Cooke Inc, a real estate company, was spun off in 1995 and, following a 2000 management buyout, is now privately held.
In 1954 there was a general strike in Honduras against the Standard Fruit company among others. A detailed timeline can be seen below:[1]
HONDURAS:
May 5. The workers of the United Fruit Company go on strike demanding higher wages and are followed by the Standard Fruit workers. This strike paralyzes all banana operations and peaks with 25,000 striking workers (around 15% of all the country's labor force)
May 7: United Fruit manager J. F. Aycock declares that the company would not negotiate as long as the workers are on strike. That day, the strike expands to La Ceiba, Standard Fruit center of operations. Contrary to United Fruit, Standard offers to negotiate with striking workers.
May 9. The American ambassador in Honduras says that the country's strike had been inspired by Guatemalan communists. In addition, U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles suggests that Guatemala Arbenz's government might be behind the Honduran strike.
By the second week of May 11,000 Standard Fruit Company employees join the strike. Simultaneously, laborers in others sector of the economy go on strike too, including miners, brewers, and textile workers.
May 16: The strikers present their "pliego de peticiones" to manager Aycock in La Lima. They quote the Universal Declarations of the Rights of Man and demand an increase in wages. At the same time, the workers of Coca-Cola in La Ceiba and Puerto Cortes strike.
Shortly after the protests began, the Honduran President Manuel Galvez expels two Guatemalan consuls charging them of instigation.
May 18: Standard Fruit opens negotiations with the workers under governmental arbitration. The company agrees to increase wages and improve working conditions, making this the first time in Honduran history that a private corporation negotiates a collective agreement. The workers committed themselves to go back to work on May 21.
May 21: After the Standard Fruit workers go back to work, the United Fruit workers harden their position. The number of strikers increases to 100,000 United Fruit.
References
^Bucheli, Marcelo; Read, Ian. "United Fruit Company Chronology". United Fruit Historical Society. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
Further reading
Thomas L. Karnes, "Tropical Enterprise: The Standard Fruit & Steamship Company in Latin America", Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1978
External links
United Fruit Historical Society
Dole Food Company, Inc. website
March 19, 2023
standard, fruit, company, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, s. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Standard Fruit Company news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Standard Fruit Company now Dole plc was established in the United States in 1924 by the Vaccaro brothers Its forerunner was started in 1899 when Sicilian Arberesh immigrants Joseph Luca and Felix Vaccaro together with Salvador D Antoni began importing bananas to New Orleans from La Ceiba Honduras By 1915 the business had grown so large that it bought most of the ice factories in New Orleans in order to refrigerate its banana ships leading to its president Joseph Vaccaro becoming known as the Ice King Standard Fruit CompanyIndustryFruitFounded1924 99 years ago 1924 in United StatesFounderVaccaro brothersFateAcquired by Castle amp Cooke in 1968SuccessorDole Food CompanyAlong with the United Fruit Company Standard Fruit played a significant role in the governments of Honduras and other Central American countries which became known as banana republics due to the high degree of control which the fruit companies held over the nations In 1926 the company changed its name from Standard Fruit Company to Standard Fruit amp Steamship Company Between 1964 and 1968 the company was acquired by the Castle amp Cooke Corporation which also acquired James Dole s Hawaiian Pineapple Company HAPCO around the same time In 1991 Castle amp Cooke was renamed Dole Food Company Castle amp Cooke Inc a real estate company was spun off in 1995 and following a 2000 management buyout is now privately held Contents 1 1954 Honduras Strike 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External links1954 Honduras Strike EditIn 1954 there was a general strike in Honduras against the Standard Fruit company among others A detailed timeline can be seen below 1 HONDURAS May 5 The workers of the United Fruit Company go on strike demanding higher wages and are followed by the Standard Fruit workers This strike paralyzes all banana operations and peaks with 25 000 striking workers around 15 of all the country s labor force May 7 United Fruit manager J F Aycock declares that the company would not negotiate as long as the workers are on strike That day the strike expands to La Ceiba Standard Fruit center of operations Contrary to United Fruit Standard offers to negotiate with striking workers May 9 The American ambassador in Honduras says that the country s strike had been inspired by Guatemalan communists In addition U S Secretary of State John Foster Dulles suggests that Guatemala Arbenz s government might be behind the Honduran strike By the second week of May 11 000 Standard Fruit Company employees join the strike Simultaneously laborers in others sector of the economy go on strike too including miners brewers and textile workers May 16 The strikers present their pliego de peticiones to manager Aycock in La Lima They quote the Universal Declarations of the Rights of Man and demand an increase in wages At the same time the workers of Coca Cola in La Ceiba and Puerto Cortes strike Shortly after the protests began the Honduran President Manuel Galvez expels two Guatemalan consuls charging them of instigation May 18 Standard Fruit opens negotiations with the workers under governmental arbitration The company agrees to increase wages and improve working conditions making this the first time in Honduran history that a private corporation negotiates a collective agreement The workers committed themselves to go back to work on May 21 May 21 After the Standard Fruit workers go back to work the United Fruit workers harden their position The number of strikers increases to 100 000 United Fruit References Edit Bucheli Marcelo Read Ian United Fruit Company Chronology United Fruit Historical Society Retrieved 12 January 2023 Further reading EditThomas L Karnes Tropical Enterprise The Standard Fruit amp Steamship Company in Latin America Baton Rouge Louisiana State University Press 1978External links EditUnited Fruit Historical Society Dole Food Company Inc website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Standard Fruit Company amp oldid 1133580046, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
