How to improve the rights of the seasonal workers in agriculture?

Press release Turin, 4th of February 2010

The Working group “seasonal workers, migrations and agriculture” of the European Coordination Via Campesina met on the 29th and 30th of January 2010 in Turin, 15 days after the events in Rosarno.

The working group agreed that:

  • The Common Agricultural Policy has supported the concentration and industrialization of the European agricultural production leading to the impoverishment and disappearance of many peasants and has increased the exploitation of workers.

  • The events of Rosarno form part of a migratory policy indifferent to respect for human rights, a practice unfortunately widespread throughout Europe and generated by a globalisation of economic exchanges to the detriment of populations and a just distribution of common goods.

 

European Coordination Via Campesina proposes:

 

  • The establishment of a specific aid to small farms, recognizing their economic, social and territorial functions.

  • The installation, within the framework of the Common Agricultural policy, of the conditionality of aids related to the respect of labour laws.

  • The prohibition of States to help or subsidize farmers who do not respect their obligations as employers.

  • The creation of an observatory through the common agricultural policy to monitor the working conditions of seasonal workers

  • The signature, ratification and application by all European countries of the International covenant on migrant workers.

  • The signature, ratification and application by all European countries of International convention 184 on health and safety in agriculture of the International Labour organization.

  • The regularization of the undocumented agricultural workers and the application on universal rights in the whole of Europe.

European Coordination Via Campesina promises to support the struggles of seasonal workers to improve their status and living conditions and gives its support to the strike of migrants planned for March 1st, 2010.

 

Contacts:

Nicolas Duntze: +33677748649

Fabricio Garbarino: +393471564605

Maricarmen García: +34629620479

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