Leave voter faces ruin without EU workers

I can only believe what I read suzie, just as you do. One of my sisters lives in Norfolk and her partner is a farmer. I know a little about the agencies/gangmasters and I also know that there are farmers who pay reasonable wages because they want their crops picked.

There aren't many farmers these days who do their own picking and harvesting. Most bring in contract workers of some sort. There are British-based operators who act as contractors and they have to stick to the law and code of practice. The problem is that there is a chronic shortage of workers, so they sometimes have to use foreign contractors, who do treat the workers badly.

MaizieD "This is the cost of our cheap food".

True, andthat message should be on big banners and posters displayed all over .

Not only is cheap labour exploited but so also are animals, all for food that is too cheap.

Of course some people can afford only cheap food. The solution to that problem is basic living wage for everyone regardless of education level or age.

And down with those many rich people who flaunt their superior wealth!

Exactly, Maizie. Long before the UK joined the Common Market, workers from places such as Greece were being imported to do menial work via agencies. They were treated appallingly. I met one of them (now in her 80s) who is tell here and she told me what was going on.

At least the EU has laws in place to mitigate the abuse.

But * grow* tgey font all stick to the law.I gave you a link to a reputable source - you’ve given anecdote - where’s the link to evidence that shows it’s all absolutely or even mainly fine?

Did you see the date on the article grow ?

I'm not sure that the enclosures were done with quite those motives, jura. The early ones were way back in the 16th C (enclosures for sheep; the wool trade was highly profitable and a key part of the economy). I don't think that plans for the displaced peasantry even entered the landowners' heads. Many of the 18th C enclosures were done before the Industrial Revolution really got going. Once again, I don't think that the destinations of the peasantry were a particular concern of the landowners. What it did do, though, was to make the peasants more dependent on regular agricultural work for their sustenance, having lost rights of common which allowed them grazing for their animals and free fuel and animal bedding..

But this is OT really..

Which article?

I posted it this morning <sigh> .

suzie I'm not claiming it's all absolutely fine. I know that gangmasters exploit their workers. The point I'm making is that it's likely to get worse. British workers really aren't going to queue up to pick fruit, wages won't increase. Farmers won't be able to recruit from the EU through FoM, so will be even more reliant on gangmaster-organised labour. It's possible that people will come from Turkey, Ukraine, Viet Nam or China or further afield.

The gangmasters won't even be subject to EU laws, however imperfect they are. The British authorities have shown that the are toothless in enforcing minimum standards and I honestly can't see that changing. Agri-business will want to continue making a profit and people will still want affordable food. The poor can eat cr*ppy American imported food, which will do wonders for the nation's health .

This has been a problem for a long time and not just in the agricultural industry, it happens in warehouse work and other sectors.
It affects a minority, often involving foreign gangmasters, but it does need to be clamped down on..

Why the sighing? Yes, I noticed the date, but failed to note the significance. Maybe you could explain.

Cheap Labour and Slave Labour

A small minority, often Vulnerable people working in small establishments, Kitchen staff, sex workers, roadside car washes, and some gang masters. When illegal migrants first arrive in the U.K. they are often put to work in car washes, when better paid work is available the agencies fit them in where they can.

The only statutory gangmasters scheme applies to to agricultural workers and they are inspected regularly, there is no scheme for factories, restaurants or anything else.

In Eastern Europe, particularly Romania and Bulgaria wages are low, partly because North Korea provides contract workers at very low wages, it was featured on Panorama a few months ago

But isn’t the issue going to be that the Govt is only going to allow 10, 000 in when we need 70, 000?

Callistemon I know it's been happening in other industries. The British government could always have done something about it, but failed to act. They can't blame the EU for that. Many of the exploited workers come from outside the EU and some are here illegally.

I sighed because you hadn’t seen the link

The government is going to have to backtrack, unless it really wants to send pensioners out to pick spuds.

Davidhs is right. There's going to be even more potential for that kind of exploitation from other countries outside the EU. The government need to get a grip.

Yes, I had seen the link and I'd read it too.

The vast majority of British food is picked and processed by legal workers paid good wages, be sure of that. Occasionally an unscrupulous gangmaster slips in a few illegals and we have headline news.

You should be more concerned about roadside car washes, restaurants, take aways, in fact anywhere with back of house operations.

Just a thought, this awful virus is going to cause much more damage to Companies many are in danger of losing their businesses. I do know this personally.

Migrants that are caught, will all claim political assylum, and are allowed into the U.K. are processed and given work permits, while their case is reviewed which may take months. They will already have contacts or family in the U.K. to get legal work, the lucky ones are allowed to stay, the rest are rounded up eventually and deported.

Davidhs
The practice of employing the North Korean workers in Bulgaria and Romania terminated in 2017.

Just want to point out that agencies and gangmasters are not the same thing.

Well there’s certainly some agreement that this is going to be a problem but never mind, it will all sort itself out I expect. ?

As others have said there is a shortage of workers, particularly for manual work, including nurses, care workers, factory workers and builders. This is because few UK workers want to do it and if they do they are subject to UK Labour and wage laws, so employers use a lot of agency workers.

The advantage is that if the worker is unproductive he leaves without any obligation on the employer. Directly employed workers have rights on sick leave, discrimination, discipline, holidays and all sorts of other advantages. Agency workers very little, dont forget not all agency work is low paid, some of those skilled called in to fill shortages get double and treble the regular rate. The difference is Skilled.

Nursing is manual work?