Mass migration of workers to France from Andalucia for grape harvest

THE Union General de Trabajadores (UGT) estimates that round 14,000 workers, predominately from the Andalucian region, will make the trip across to neighbouring France to work on the upcoming grape harvest.

The figure of around 14,000 workers reported by the Federation of Industry, Construction and Agro (FICA) is slightly down on last year due to the “slight” growth of the Spanish economy and to lower French production, derived from drought and inclement weather.

Around 10,400 people from Andalucia will make the annual pilgrimage, along with 1,000 from Valencia, 650 from Murcia and 450 from Castilla La Mancha according to estimates.

The UGT regrets that the migration for work is predominantly due to the lower working conditions in Spain for agricultural workers.

A spokesman for the UGT criticised the conditions Spanish farmers have to work in: “Some entrepreneurs are not complying with collective agreements or applying the Minimum Interprofessional Salary (SMI) in some provinces”.