Morocco Boosts Support for Seasonal Workers in Spain Amid Labor Concerns

Support measures for the some 19,000 Moroccan seasonal workers in Spanish agricultural holdings have just been formalized this Monday. Thus, according to the MAP, "a partnership agreement aimed at supporting Moroccan seasonal workers in Spain" has been signed by the ministry in charge of Moroccans Living Abroad and the Ministry of Labor.

More specifically, it is the establishment of a "joint commission to carry out visits to agricultural holdings" and "monitor the working conditions of seasonal workers in coordination with the competent Spanish authorities" that is planned.

Constantly increasing, the number of Moroccan strawberry pickers recruited for the season (between February and June) has increased from 200 in 2001 to 19,179 this year (according to a statement to AFP by Abdelmounaim Al-Madani, director of the Anapec). Last year there were 16,000 of them and many of them had then complained of sexual harassment, grueling work schedules and non-compliance with their contracts by their employers. The latter had flatly denied everything.

The salary of the pickers is 37 euros for 6.5 hours of work per day, including accommodation, still according to the director of the Anapec. The latter, moreover, claims that they "have already received training and on their return, they will be supported by the Anapec to create agricultural cooperatives."

Will this be enough for the complaints (and above all their reasons) to cease?