‘All that is missing is a whip’: Home Office ignored migrant worker abuses on farms
Resumo
Data informada: 22 Out 2023
Localização: Reino Unido
Outros
Not Reported ( Labour supplier ) - Labour Supplier , Not Reported ( Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral ) - Other Value Chain EntityAfetados
Total de pessoas afetadas: Número desconhecido
Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( Número desconhecido - Ucrânia , Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral , Gender not reported )Temas
Acesso a medicamentos , Direito à AlimentaçãoResposta
Response sought: Não
Tipo de fonte: News outlet
Resumo
Data informada: 22 Out 2023
Localização: Reino Unido
Outros
Not Reported ( Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral ) - Other Value Chain Entity , Not Reported ( Labour supplier ) - Labour SupplierAfetados
Total de pessoas afetadas: 1
Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( Número desconhecido - Barbados , Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral , Gender not reported )Temas
Discriminação por Gravidez , Condições de vida precárias/inadequadasResposta
Response sought: Não
Tipo de fonte: News outlet
Resumo
Data informada: 22 Out 2023
Localização: Reino Unido
Outros
Not Reported ( Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral ) - Other Value Chain Entity , Not Reported ( Labour supplier ) - Labour SupplierAfetados
Total de pessoas afetadas: 12
Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( Número desconhecido - Localização desconhecida , Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral , Gender not reported )Temas
Discriminação Racial/ Étnica/ Origem , Access to Non-Judicial RemedyResposta
Response sought: Não
Tipo de fonte: News outlet
Resumo
Data informada: 22 Out 2023
Localização: Reino Unido
Outros
Not Reported ( Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral ) - Other Value Chain Entity , Not Reported ( Labour supplier ) - Labour SupplierAfetados
Total de pessoas afetadas: Número desconhecido
Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( 1 - Localização desconhecida , Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral , Gender not reported )Temas
Salário abaixo da linha da pobreza , Benefício Negado , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Trabalho Irregular , Acesso à ÁguaResposta
Response sought: Não
Tipo de fonte: News outlet
Resumo
Data informada: 22 Out 2023
Localização: Reino Unido
Empresas
Fruitful Jobs - Labour Supplier , Haygrove - EmployerAfetados
Total de pessoas afetadas: Número desconhecido
Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( Número desconhecido - Bolívia , Agricultura/comida/bebida/tabaco/pescaria: Geral , Women , Documented migrants ) , Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( Número desconhecido - Bolívia , Agricultura e Pecuária , Men , Documented migrants ) , Trabalhadores migrantes e imigrantes: ( Número desconhecido - Chile , Agricultura e Pecuária , Gender not reported , Documented migrants )Temas
Trabalho Irregular , Substituição de contratos , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Roubo de salários , Intimidação e Ameaças , Espancamento e Violência , Privação da liberdade de expressão , Discriminação/Diversidade: geral , Assédio (exceto sexual) , Acesso à Água , Salário abaixo da linha da pobreza , Access to Non-Judicial Remedy , Discriminação de gênero , Taxas de Recrutamento , Servidão por dívida , Acesso à Informação , Salário Mínimo , Trabalho Forçado e trabalho análogo à escravidão , Tráfico de pessoas , Saúde Mental , Demissão , Access to Justice & Legal ProtectionResposta
Resposta solicitada: Sim, por Journalists
Link externo para resposta (Saiba mais)
Medidas tomadas: The workers held a strike and reported the farm to West Mercia police, which referred the case to the GLAA. TBIJ understands that the GLAA interviewed four workers in late September, two months after the initial complaint had been filed and after dozens of workers had left the farm.Chilean police are also conducting an investigation, and Julia and a colleague are in the process of filing employment tribunal claims in the UK. Fruitful Jobs told TBIJ that transfer requests were related to lower than expected working hours and not to working conditions. It said that Emery was at the farm to try to resolve issues and made his comments because the worker was interrupting. He pointed out that there was a legal obligation on visa sponsors to notify the Home Office of changes to a seasonal worker’s situation. Haygrove rejected all allegations of wrongdoing in the “strongest terms” and said it was not aware of any ongoing investigation. Haygrove told TBIJ the lack of shifts was because of “adverse weather conditions”, but that all workers were paid at least 32 hours a week at minimum wage, with £100 cash advances to new arrivals who didn’t immediately get work. The company also rebutted allegations of modern slavery and labour exploitation, adding that most of its seasonal workers “had a very positive experience”, with an “annual average return rate of 64%”. The company added that it was regularly audited by bodies including the British Retail Consortium, and claimed recent inspections by both the Home Office and Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) had found no evidence of wrongdoing. However, TBIJ understands that the Home Office has not finalised its findings and the GLAA told TBIJ that an investigation remains ongoing. In a preliminary ruling, the Home Office has now decided there are reasonable grounds to conclude that Ms Casimiro could have been a victim of modern slavery. Her case will now be investigated further by the government before a final decision is made. In response to the UN letter, Haygrove said the allegations were ‘materially incorrect’ and said it would be paying workers for the time spent travelling between company sites as a “goodwill gesture”. Fruitful jobs refuted the allegations and said it took issues workers experienced at Haygrove seriously. Later reporting by TBIJ says the Chilian worker approached NGOs and the police but was turned away, and the article explores other barriers to justice she has experienced such as practical difficulties at her hearing.
Tipo de fonte: News outlet
…she was given no shifts or pay during her first week at Haygrove, one of the UK’s biggest fruit producers, in late June…
…allegations of mistreatment such as those at Haygrove are common across many UK farms. There is also evidence that the Home Office knew about the allegations, failed to act on them and then attempted to stop that information from being made public…
[Migrants] … faced far greater levels of exploitation than previously thought. Plus, the government could be in breach of its obligations when it comes to the prevention of modern slavery.
Haygrove told TBIJ the lack of shifts was because of “adverse weather conditions”… The company also rebutted allegations of modern slavery and labour exploitation…
… TBIJ was given access to 19 farm inspection reports produced by the Home Office between 2021 and 2022…
Nearly half (44%) of the 845 workers interviewed as part of the inspections raised welfare issues including racism, wage theft and threats of being sent back home…
… Emery [managing director of Fruitful Jobs] told Julia and her colleagues that if they continued to protest, their visas would be revoked…
Fruitful Jobs told TBIJ that transfer requests were related to lower than expected working hours and not to working conditions…