Food pickers and the virus

*either *other

I did grape picking as a student in France craftyone. I can't remember much about the conditions either than that we had very limited shared accommodation and wash facilities. I think we were just happy to be outside speaking the language, (and sampling the wine!)

No, I didn't. I don't know where in Liverpool you lived, but there weren't many fruit farms in my part of Merseyside. I would have been nowhere near as efficient as an experienced fruit/veg picker anyway. I did have a Saturday job in a shop though.

Callistemon I agree with you. The accommodation looked well organised and, in normal circumstances, would be adequate. I think that the sleeping arrangements with two beds in a small room would be a problem. Maybe the grower should have arranged extra accommodation, but that of course would push the price up and make the crops uncompetitive. All growers would need to be forced to do it. No worker should be forced into potentially unsafe working conditions.

As far as the wages are concerned, the workers weren't being exploited. They were being paid the minimum wage for what is admittedly very hard work.

The ones who would concern me are those recruited abroad and being paid by agencies, who are sometimes paid below the minimum wage. The country needs more "red tape" to crack down on gang masters. I suspect there are some people who don't care very much about "furriners" (from all countries) being exploited, so have turned a blind eye.

Did anyone else, as a teenager, go out and look for picking jobs in the summer holidays? This was from liverpool, we got the bus out to the outlying farms. Everyone I know did it, fruit picking in the week and saturday jobs at the weekend. We did not expect handouts in those days

Happiyogi. I am always amazed at how the water looks after washing the likes of spinach and leeks. I have now got quite a big stash of it in the house, I always wash fruit before it goes into my fruit bowl, except for peelable fruits. I don`t get paranoid or anxious, just careful as always

craftyone, I've been using Veggiwash for the same length of time as you and wouldn't be without it. I've never heard anyone else ever mention it!

Well, from the aerial view the mobile homes were all well spaced and placed on hard standing with all facilities.

Perhaps the farmer should build a village of brick houses. Will people pay three times as much for their food to fund this?

Callistemon

growstuff's posts are very sensible.

Many people know nothing at all about farming and how their food arrives on the supermarket shelves.

It is hard work. It's hard work for the farmer who has all the responsibilities for the success or failure of the crops too.

From the aerial views it looks like a neat, well-kept, well-organised farm.
This COVID19 has upset everyone's working arrangements.

I was listening to the Jeremy Vine show on radio 2 this lunchtime where he spoke to a reporter from BBC Midlands Today who quoted the Director of Public Health as stating, 'The workers lived in mobile homes "scattered across the acres of the farm."

That kind of comment conjures up the image of a disorganised unit which this farm clearly is not. It's irresponsible and unprofessional and feeds the snap judgement opinions of those who know nothing about the industry.

growstuff's posts are very sensible.

Many people know nothing at all about farming and how their food arrives on the supermarket shelves.

It is hard work. It's hard work for the farmer who has all the responsibilities for the success or failure of the crops too.

From the aerial views it looks like a neat, well-kept, well-organised farm.
This COVID19 has upset everyone's working arrangements.

Suziew please don’t be rude to growstuff and no need to use bad language to make a point. We have already been warned by GN. Is this going to end up another deleted thread?

suziewoozie

I have it on the best authority that they are on their way to Durham

I wonder why.

Yes, they should have stayed in quarantine, Ellianne but they are not prisoners, are they? Were they tested positive? Not everyone on the farm was.
How many people are walking around who are infected?

timetogo2016

I said the vary same to them Callistemon but the answer they gave me was sadly they need the job to send money home.
And without blowing my own trumpet i gave them Disney frozen t/shirts for their children,their little faces were a picture and the mother just filled up.

timetogo I hope that they were getting their full wages and the gangmaster agency which recruited them was not taking a huge cut.

Interesting question MerylStreep. I don't know the answer but if a crime is a deliberate act that causes physical or psychological harm then potentially making others sick could be viewed as such. I think what angers me most is that they knew they had the virus before they ran off.

suziewoozie

Stop being so bloody patronising growstuff Of course I know that. It shouldn’t be a race to the bottom. Are workers on NMW supposed to be grateful that things could be worse - like the example quoted of Leicester. God this government is doing a grand brainwashing job isn’t it?

No need to be so rude!

Why get in a tiz about fruit pickers when millions live like that every single day?

How dare you suggest I've been brainwashed? Who do you think you are?

With reference to Elliannes post Re it is a crime Could someone tell me under what law they would be arrested.
This is a genuine question.

you clearly know nothing about prison food
I have no idea about prison food, SW, where did I even mention prison? If they are caught by police, then great care will be taken to look after them so there are no reprisals. The escapee from quarantine in New Zealand is now in the hands of the law and being cared for accordingly.

Stop being so bloody patronising growstuff Of course I know that. It shouldn’t be a race to the bottom. Are workers on NMW supposed to be grateful that things could be worse - like the example quoted of Leicester. God this government is doing a grand brainwashing job isn’t it?

suziewoozie

The figure quoted is just 10p an hour above the NMW for the normal working hours and nowhere near the NLW as I understand it. £50 s week for a shared bedroom other facilities. Apparently the council are now providing food and other supplies.

Have you seen where some people working in London live? And pay much more than £50pw?

lemongrove

growstuff

There's an article in the Guardian (I think) about somebody who worked at this farm. It's obviously very hard work, but the writer did say that she was paid NLW. She was charged £50pw for accommodation. There are plenty of workers in cities (and elsewhere) who are paid NLW and have to pay more than that for accommodation. I'm not saying any of it's right, but they're not that badly paid.

Agreed, they are not badly paid at all.Fruit and veg picking has never been a well paid job.
The fact that they are willing to do it means they think it’s a good deal too.
Pity that locals won’t do it though.
In normal circumstances six people to a large static caravan is fine, but is definitely not fine during a pandemic.

How many people want a seasonal job? For many of these people, fruit/veg picking is a way of life. They move around Europe to wherever the harvests are and take the money back home, where they might be able to build a house or save for education. Some of them are also phenomenally quick, so much better value to the growers than inexperienced locals.

I have it on the best authority that they are on their way to Durham

Well, SW, I'm insensed that they should just run off and infect goodness knows how many people until they are apprehended. It is a crime, whatever was going through their heads.

growstuff

There's an article in the Guardian (I think) about somebody who worked at this farm. It's obviously very hard work, but the writer did say that she was paid NLW. She was charged £50pw for accommodation. There are plenty of workers in cities (and elsewhere) who are paid NLW and have to pay more than that for accommodation. I'm not saying any of it's right, but they're not that badly paid.

Agreed, they are not badly paid at all.Fruit and veg picking has never been a well paid job.
The fact that they are willing to do it means they think it’s a good deal too.
Pity that locals won’t do it though.
In normal circumstances six people to a large static caravan is fine, but is definitely not fine during a pandemic.

Ellianne what an unpleasant gloating post plus you clearly know nothing about prison food

NMW is poor pay whatever your job

My post got taken down and I got an email saying that something in my posting MIGHT cause someone offence. I call that offensive.

Greeneyegirl, viruses survive fridges and freezers in various ways. Saying that you ALWAYS thought they are all the same and all survive the cold in the same way could be taken as stereotyping and MAY cause offense to touchy viruses.

The figure quoted is just 10p an hour above the NMW for the normal working hours and nowhere near the NLW as I understand it. £50 s week for a shared bedroom other facilities. Apparently the council are now providing food and other supplies.