It has proven very difficult to tackle the problem of the exploitation of migrant workers in the country’s agricultural sector. After multiple strike action by migrant workers who were protesting harsh working conditions and underpayment in September 2011 the country passed a law that introduced "unlawful mediation and labour exploitation" as an offense carrying up to eight years in prison. Up until then, people who exploited migrant workers didn't risk much more than a 50 euro fine. In 2016, the law was extended to employers in a bid to drive down the demand for intermediation. But despite the new laws the problem has persisted due to the workers' extreme vulnerability and their exposure to blackmail, if they're undocumented or their residence permit is directly dependent on their employer. A young Cameroonian migrant has come forward with a whole new approach to tackle the problem, he hopes that consumers’ choices in time will put an end to exploitation of migrant workers. With the introduction of an ethical label for products like tomato sauce consumers will be able to identify ethically-sourced products.
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For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers or Sanne van der Gaag, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Willy De Backer wdebacker@etui.org © ETUI