27.02.2014

Press Release of ECVC (European coordination Via Campesina)

Working group on migrant agricultural workers

In recent years, the working group related to the issue of migrant agricultural workers in ECVC has gone through important moments of political and human collaboration.

The situation of migrant farm workers in our countries is dramatic: industrial agriculture favored everywhere, and the financial capital, is enriched by a large number of people who crushes a mechanism of exploitation in order to get the most benefit; on the other hand, agricultural politicians continue with their destruction of traditional agriculture forcing the perverse spiral of self-exploitation and exploitation of traditional farmers.

Recent trade agreements with North America, Morocco (European capital) contribute to the creation of situations of ‘free market’ in agricultural products in a short period of time which will lower prices to other products “Made in Europe” .

This is combined with the offensive of land grabbers and European institutions in relation to models of traditional agriculture in Eastern Europe and Romania and also in the eastern part of Germany.

These policies will continue to favor the impoverishment of many traditional countries (European or neighbors) already economically weak, which will be forced to the “economic exile” in relatively stronger countries, in a continuous movement that destroys society and social forces of the countries source and makes it very difficult to organize struggle in the countries of destination.

This “competition” between immigrant agricultural workers and the autochthonous is already underway in depressing labor legislation creating an army of exploited workers, underpaid and precarious.

Our working group, as well as the analysis of these phenomena for years and thanks to a considerable investment of activism and work, carried out an awareness campaign in rural areas to a variety of environments: from human right activists and responsible consumer groups to university researchers of different political orientations.

This great work requires a greater commitment CEVC movement and needs a strong return to action of all coordination.

It is for this reason that, in order to continue the work and make it even more effective and widespread, we asked the activists of different partners of ECVC to manifest, to become involved and participate in the work.

Contacts :

• Nicolas Duntze
• Maricarmen Garcia Bueno
• Fabrizio Garbarino