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Seasonal migrant work in Europe. some Observations. observations. A map. Exploitation or modern slavery ?. Working conditions ( Almeria , Spain ) : 40 000 hectares of plastic greenhouses 20 euros a day + extra hours No payment of extra-hours/social insurance
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Seasonal migrant work in Europe some Observations
observations Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
A map Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
Exploitation or modern slavery ? • Working conditions (Almeria, Spain): • 40 000 hectares of plastic greenhouses • 20 euros a day + extra hours • No payment of extra-hours/social insurance • Growers pressures →non-recognition experience/skills Living conditions (Almeria, Spain): • 15 in cortijos (120 € rent sometimes) • Chabolas, plastic houses • Not allowed to go out exploitation/housing place • Shantytown Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
Almeria, Spain – Plastic Greenhouses Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
Cortijos Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02 Chabolas
A reservedworkersarmy: for the profit of whom ? Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
economicalaims • Economicpurpose: • Cheap food on markets • Competitiveness →Labor = 55% of direct cost (Roux 2008) = adjustment variable Agriculture development trend : for farmers, requirement to survive + copingwithexaggeratedlowprices Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
A chosen, temporary, availableand disposablehiring • Cheap and disposable labor force : • No welfare payements Obedient and disposablelabor force: • From restrictive countries towardsliberties (Maurice and Michallon 2008) • No longer stay in the country → ex: womenwithchildren • Temporaryworkagency about women: “they are more careful with the harvest, they are less rebellious and more hard-working” Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
A new kind of actors in the race for profits ? • Needed in this special work force → go-between fact development…. …. workers cooperatives, temporary working agency …. Canelli, Piemonte case study: • 15 « workerscooperatives » onlyin one village • Led by Macedonians for dayworking in vineyardswithMacedonians • No offices, workwithcell phones, pick-up workers on car park • Delay wages • re-open withdifferentnameeachyear Terra Fecundis(Spanishagency): • More or less the sameway of action … atlargerscale • 2000 workers, extra and EEA nationals, for France, Italy … Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
Way of actions ? • Claiming for a differentway of agricultural production: →Based on a peasant model whichrecognisedworkers’ right and fairwages for both Involving migrant workers in unions: • Defendingtheirrights • Formation and informations Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02
Confédération Paysanne (dir.) « Agriculture industrielle et servitude en Europe » Campagne solidaire (Confédération Paysanne’sMonthly revue) Juillet 2011 • Etudes rurales (2008) « Travailleurs saisonniers dans l’agriculture européenne » n°182, Editions de l’EHESS • Peasant agriculture and seasonal migrant workers (volunteers blog): • http://www.agricultures-migrations.org/ • Pictures: • Fromvolunteers (CabiriaChomel, Charlotte Garda, Julie Chierichietti) • Map: • Charlotte garda in « agriculture industrielle et servitude en Europe » Food Otherwise - Wageningen - 22/02