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February 14, 2012
Stranded Thai berry pickers on their way home
Published: 28 Aug 09 10:23 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21742/20090828/
Some 200 Thai berry pickers who staked their life savings to travel to Sweden to pick berries, only to find themselves penniless and stranded, have had their return trips arranged for them through donations.
- Vietnamese workers in north-south berry dispute (14 Aug 09)
- Berry pickers pluck unidentified cash stash (7 Aug 09)
- Heatwave spells Swedish berry shortage (3 Aug 08)
“I have today ensured that everything has been arranged in the best way. I made contact with the Thai Embassy and they sent personnel to Luleå today, and we have worked through the situation together,” said Norrbotten’s County Governor Per-Ola Eriksson.
On Thursday the first buses travelled southeast via the berry pickers’ camp in Västerbotten, and then on to Arlanda.
The berry pickers were recruited by a staffing agency in Thailand that provides picking services to Swedish companies that purchase berries. The Thai staffing agency promises high incomes for those seeking their fortunes in the Swedish berry forests, but they do not guarantee any income for their employees.
When the pickers travelled the long journey from Thailand to Sweden this year, they faced tussocky forest conditions where berries were sparse. Even under ideal berry picking conditions, the pickers would have to pick considerable quantities of berries every day in order to come close earning the promised income, reports TT.
“During the autumn I will take the initiative to have a meeting with local and regional berry purchasers to come to a solution so that a situation such as this does not repeat itself,” said Eriksson.
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Leaving the state or charities to pick up the pieces...
'Technically' the Thai staffing agency is allowed by Swedish law to do this?
So much for enlightened Swedish practice.
I always thought Sweden had the most progressive systems.
Beginning to doubt this now.
UK allows all sorts of abuse, knowingly, for cheap labour and many here, (in UK) and I, think this stinks.
I always looked to Sweden for enlightened practices.
Doubting this now.
Sadly.
Sorry to hear you that you have been misinformed regarding the corrupt ways of the Swedes. Their calm and almost horse like quiet attitude is rather deceiving.
Why are there so few berries this year?
Having lived in Norrland, I could testify to the veritable bounty every autumn of blueberries, growing justabouteverywhereyoulook......
What's different here? Were these poor Thais just taken to an area that was 'unluckily' sparse - or this symptomatic of a wider problem?
Found a nice stash a week ago and im still on it, dosent look like anyone else has been there. Im the only brit the berry buyer has seen up here i reckon this yr, haha.
You couldn't be more correct.
To continue about the berry pickers...
Lets face it. They are willing to work for slave-like wages/conditions by some jockey in Bangkok to take a extended holiday in a place they've never been before, probably visit some relatives on the way.
Thats what i call a win win situation hahaha!!!!!
Me not misinformed.
You just don't agree with me.
I don't say any Swede is corrupt.
I say that the Swedish law allows this sort of thing to happen.
And the previous message (caribbean so + so) just makes me sick.
Sexism/racism in one sentence!
I say no more.
Its the truth, deal with it my man
take a vacation to Gambia, Kenya Thailand to name a few countries and youde see what im talking about.
Google, Indentured Labourers and youde see europeans experimented on asain countries ( Japan India Congolese Chinese to name a few)to see who were the best for cotton fields and sugar plantations and the like..
Your version?
Me, I was married to a sweet Swede for many years and lived there for much of it.
I currently have a Filipino GF and know very well the situation in 3rd world countries.
I don't need uninformed lectures from anybody.
Or maybe Christopher Columbus or Walter Raeigh and the likes never existed!
Or wait maybe its all a myth too
Why can't the swedish government or farmers source for other pickers without having to get workers from so far away. For are unemployed people in Sweden, there are students, simply place adverts around and I'm sure they can get enough workers. This is shameful
Hop-picking used to be done by poor London families who got free accommodation and made for a holiday on the open air. It was popular but came to an end when picking machines were introduced in the 1960s.
I suspect that the Swedish tax and workers' insurance system has something to do with it. Labour costs must amount to at least double the take home pay. The country needs tax reform before it is ruined.
You are talking badly about people from Thailand, Kenya, Gambia etc. Im sure you have not been anywhere near Africa so you have absolutely no idea of what you are talking about.
What about you? Did your Swedish gal come to the Caribean to look for you or did you come to Sweden to pick berries then met her here. Cmon. Classical case of a pot calling a kettle black!
We can all live in denial but history speaks for itself.
Pot calling a kettle black???
What a joke hahaha :)
What history is this you keep going on about. Kindly spell it out for us so we can end this conversation (not argument).
So your case is that you are from the Caribean, went to Canada to pick berries and met a Swedish gal. How intercontinental for you! Kudos
PS: Travelling to many African countries does not make you an expert on Africa.