Workforce Equity for the Porters of Peru's Inca Trail

SO YOU WATCHED THE KM 82 THE PORTER VOICES OF PERU'S CAMINO INCA - THIS IS YOUR CALL TO ACTION. SIGN THIS PETION AND SPREAD THE WORD.

The porters of the Inca Trail in Peru have faced unfair labor practices from a system that lacks transparency, accountability and enforcement for over 50 years. Porters are those who are hired to carry tourists' bags up the  mountains. The classic 4 day Inca Trail that takes hikers to the citadel of Machu Picchu would not be possible without the labor and work of the porters. While the porters have been fighting for equitable working conditions all this time, the companies continue to deceive tourists as they hide the truths about the porter maltreatment that continues to this day. These problems include porters not having proper tents which force them to sleep in caves, toilets and outdoors, underpayment or no payment at all, lack of sufficient and healthy meals on the trail, lack of medical and life insurance, and threats when porters speak about the maltreatment, among other things. The portering job by nature is RISKY AND DEADLY. Porters should be properly compensated and equitably treated for doing such kind of work. 

It's time we create a global movement in support of the porters' fight towards fair and equitable treatment.

A human rights and global media organization, The Porter Voice Collective, which is focused on elevating the voices of the porters and in using storytelling to create social change, initiated its investigation in Cusco, Peru as to the real working conditions for the porters.  A documentary is underway which will educate the tourists of the real challenges faced by the porters. You can preview the film trailer via this Youtube link.

PVC envisions a specific solution to this global problem of porter exploitation which continues to happen in Peru, Nepal & Tanzania.  The solution is to create Workforce Equity Tourism and a Universal Workforce Equity Guidelines for Porters & Mountain Expeditio Workers worldwide whereby companies must meet certain legal requirements enforced by local laws with concrete ways to measure and enforce accountabilty for violators.

To address the poor porter working conditions in Peru, the following organizations hold the power to create the changes:

SERNANP of Peru

Ministry of Culture of Peru

DIRCETUR of Peru

ALL the trekking operators of the Inca Trail including the biggest operators: G Adventures, Intrepid, Exodus, ExplorAndes, Condor Travel, Alpaca Expeditions, Lima tours, and more.

This petition demands for the the government and tour agencies to do two things: (1) To engage in official discussions about the creation of Workforce Equity Tourism as the new standard of best practices in the treatment of porters on Peru's Inca Trail; and (2) To put in writing their commitment towards Workforce Equity Tourism.

In addition, support from the global community and influenctial tourism organizations are needed in order to convince the above entities to create Workforce Equity.

You can learn more via the KM 82 campaign page and The Porter Voice Collective.

Let's urge the stakeholders TO ACT. 

Let's create this change collectively as a global community of advocates for the fair and equitable treatment of porters in Peru and worldwide.  Share the campaign widely with your network and send this link to the trekking companies directly to urge them to sign this petition and to become a part of the global change for the porters.