Palm oil plantations are hugely profitable industries in both Malaysia and Indonesia. While the environmental issues of such plantations are widely known, the abuse of workers in these plantations is less well known. While a few years ago a report exposed the terrible conditions for workers in Malaysia, a recent report has exposed the widespread use of child labour, bonded labour, trafficking of people and abysmal Health and Safety conditions in Indonesia’s palm oil plantations. Only when workers form unions will conditions start to improve.
Palm oil plantations are hugely profitable industries in both Malaysia and Indonesia. While the environmental issues of such plantations are widely known, the abuse of workers in these plantations is less well known. While a few years ago a report exposed the terrible conditions for workers in Malaysia, a recent report has exposed the widespread use of child labour, bonded labour, trafficking of people and abysmal Health and Safety conditions in Indonesia’s palm oil plantations. Only when workers form unions will conditions start to improve.
