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aS summer approaches, hundreds of seasonal workers will arrive in Scotland from abroad –many of them Polish – seeking temporary jobs on fruit farms. For many, it will be a pleasant


few months’ work and a chance to earn some cash and experience life in another country. others might not be so lucky.


two students who found work at a Perthshire fruit farm last summer found they were living in cramped, squalid conditions without running water. they regularly worked more


hours than they were being paid for, had money deducted from their wages for no reason – and were finally sacked and faced the threat of imprisonment for false allegations of theft when they confronted their bosses over pay and conditions. Michał obieglo and tomasz


Kowal were left stranded with little money and nowhere to stay when their bosses at David leslie Fruits called in police to escort them from the farm. But an industrial tribunal has


ordered their boss, David leslie, of Scones of lethendy Farm, Perth, to pay them a total of £25,000 in compensation for racial discrimination, unfair dismissal, unlawful deduction from wages and injury to their feelings. the employment judge, nM


Hosie, said in his judgement that the two students were treated “appallingly, without any decency or respect, and left frightened and humiliated”. He also wrote: “there is no


doubt that the discrimination in this case was serious. it caused the claimants considerable distress, leaving them at one point in the situation where they feared they would be left stranded and homeless in a


foreign country with no money to get home or even imprisoned for an offence which had been fabricated.” the students’ case was taken


to the tribunal by Central Scotland racial equality Council with funding from the equality and Human rights Commission. Caseworker richard Pitts


described his clients’ treat- ment as “modern day slav- ery”. He added: “Mr leslie would not have dared treat Scottish people the way he treated my clients. He thought he could get away with it because they were Polish and didn’t know their rights. “that was the


reason the tribunal found his actions to onstitute race discrimin- ation.”


Michał wants to warn others about the risk of exploitation


at home in Poland, Michał obiegło is studying journalism and has written a report highlighting the risk of exploitation of emigrant workers. if you knows of cases like his and


tomasz’s, you can contact Michał at michal.obieglo@gmail.com Meanwhile, although the tribunal


found in their favour, Michał and Tomasz have still not been paid any


of the £25k and are looking at taking the company to court. Michał added: “I would like to praise


the Employment Tribunal Services for its excellent and relatively quick job. “All my costs linked with the


hearing have been repaid. “I would recommend anyone who


feels exploited to go ahead to court as Justice in the UK is very effective.


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