NEWS Top Stories
UNITELANDWORKER Comment
Bev Clarkson Unite national officer
Food, drink and, agricultural sector VERY PROUD OF OUR MEMBERS
If the government wants to pull the wool over our eyes on the ever rising cost of food production they’re talking to the wrong people. Because if anyone knows the truth about what’s really involved – from plough to plate if you like – it is our members.
GLAA new video
The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has been giving a voice to seasonal UK farm workers from across the world, by supporting a new video designed to increase awareness of employment rights for those arriving in the country under the Seasonal Worker Scheme, writes Keith Hatch.
The film, which workers can watch in either English or one of 10 subtitled versions, is part of a package of measures, including a mobile app ‘Just Good Work’, that aims to better protect and educate workers about the reality of seasonal agricultural work in the UK.
Workers discuss how they were recruited, and explain what to expect on a normal working day, how they are paid, their accommodation, even what they do in their spare time. The film is being distributed by sponsors in countries where they are recruiting this year.
GLAA head of prevention and partnerships Frank Hanson said, “Seasonal workers understandably have their own expectations about what working on farms in the UK will be like. In a small number of cases, those expectations are not met by reality.
“By creating a video in which they hear directly from seasonal workers of their own nationality, we hope that some of their key questions are answered before they decide to join the scheme.”
The video was created by recruitment firm Pro-Force, with ongoing support from the GLAA and the Work Rights Centre, an independent charity that provide employment rights advice to migrant workers.
5 uniteLANDWORKER Summer 2023
And yet one way or another from the time the carrots leave the farm to the time they reach a families’ dinner plates the price per carrot has multiplied by well – I cannot even begin to guess by how many times. In this issue Landworker speaks to two of our members who make and sell food – yet can’t afford to buy it themselves. We know the supermarkets are making huge profits – and we demand the government calls an end to this blatant profiteering.
The warm weather signals it’s also nearly Tolpuddle time. Read on and you’ll find features on what we’ve called the rural workers’ economy – the true cost of living and working in the countryside. This is a major theme for us –and we shall be giving it our full attention in our central debate at the festival.
Also at Tolpuddle we’re continuing our focus on rural women workers and our debate panel will be a women-only panel for the very first time. As I understand it another UK trade union first will be brought to Tolpuddle courtesy of ‘Diana Lolita’ and ‘Aida’. Two of our reps, David and Istvan Imre will putting a drag show about union related issues!
I am very proud of them as I am of all of our Unite FDA members, in meeting the challenges of these days with the strength and dignity our union membership gives.
Successful time – Unite FDA team at IUF Congress 2023
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