Contents Comment


3 National officer Bev Clarkson writes


4 General secretary Sharon Graham’s view


News & regulars


5 Top stories Latest Landworker stories


32 Stay safe Latest on dangers at work 34 Rural life The way of the Roma 37 Gardenwise The long awaited season


38 On the shelf Review of On Gallows Down


Campaigns


12 Food strategy Govt’s new plan of no help to food workers


14 Where workers’ lives are cheap


Migrant workers and the true cost of the food in your basket


22 A picnic short of a pay rise Fighting for decent pay and conditions in Forestry


Features


10 The truth will out Unite’s profiteering report reveals all


17 Martyrs’ Festival returns Tolpuddle is back – with a vengeance


18 Unite at Tolpuddle – the inside story Check out the Landworker events at the Unite Marquee


20 Standing by Mike Celebrating Mike Pentelow


24 You’re not alone Rural life and isolation


26 For what it’s worth See what your money gets you with our price comparator


28 Unimaginable pressures Tough times for Cornwall’s rural bus drivers


30 ‘When you don’t earn enough to live on’ The realities of Guernsey life exposed


36 Walkers beware of the cows


Cattle danger Bev Clarkson Unite national officer Food, drink and, agricultural sector YOU’RE NEVER ALONE WITH UNITE


As we go to press a new government document has been released, in which PM Boris Johnson outlines his ‘England food strategy’, instructing farmers to grow more fruit and veg, as part of his ‘Grow for Britain’ plan.


Crucially though the White Paper rejects the


recommendations of review author, restaurateur Henry Dimbleby, and has no new measures to tackle soaring food costs, childhood hunger, obesity or climate change.


The plan will include measures making it easier to convert land to farming and make poultry workers eligible for seasonal migrant visas. It has been said that at the heart of these rejections is Boris’ attempt to secure endorsement and support from the Tory right- wing, after the recent confidence vote.


I’m sure Unite will have a lot more to say about this so-called strategy and we’ll be reporting the issue fully in the next edition of Landworker.


Speaking of migrant workers, investigative journalist Emiliano Mellino, from the Bureau of Investigative Journalists, has given us his account of how seasonal migrant workers are being horribly exploited – the fruits of their labours being sold by major supermarket chains. It is essential, if not difficult reading.


The issues facing today’s migrant workers will be discussed by Unite at this year’s Tolpuddle Martyrs’ march and rally – and Emiliano has kindly agreed to be a panel speaker.


14 34 38 Front cover pic: Getty Images 18 28


There is an inextricable bond between Unite’s rural and agricultural workers of 2022 and the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ themselves and the struggles they faced in 1834. We are linked by an eternal thread spanning 188 years – and the issues they faced and fought have echoed down the years and are similar to ones our members are looking at today.


So we’ve curated a series of three talks – on migrant workers, climate change and food production, and on rural deprivation. Full details are available on pages 19 and 20.


In this issue we also throw the spotlight on to what’s happening in forestry, and how the cost of living crisis is widening still further the gap between rich and poor rural residents. We are also working to establish better connections between all Unite members living and working in rural areas. Some members are finding the combination of isolation and increasingly high costs of basic essentials extremely challenging.


But one thing is as certain now as it was in 1834. When you’re in Unite you are never truly alone.


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