INDONESIAN migrant workers (PMI) who pick fruit in the UK claim to be in debt after being fired for not meeting work targets. The reason is, they paid thousands of US dollars to go to the UK and are now at risk of returning home without a penny.
A migrant worker, Abdul, said he left for the UK with nine other Indonesians under the seasonal worker scheme, which gives foreign workers a six-month visa to work on British farms.
They were hired by British recruiter Agri-HR. Abdul was sent to Haygrove, or a farm in Hereford, about 215km southwest of London, in May.
“A friend of mine who had visited the UK told me about this opportunity. He said I could earn $65 a day by picking fruit,” Abdul, who asked to use a pseudonym, told Al Jazeera.
Previously, Abdul was a traveling ice cream seller in East Java with an income of around US$130 per month. He accepted his friend’s offer. With a capital of around US$4,000 that he borrowed from his family, he arranged his departure to England.
He paid fees to two third-party organizations in Indonesia or recruitment agencies. They were PT Mardel Anugerah International and a worker center called Forkom.
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Abdul added that workers at Haygrove were expected to pick 20kg of cherries and strawberries per hour. However, the task was becoming impossible due to the lack of fruit growing. The situation worsened as the harvest season wore on.
“We (Indonesian workers) were always placed on the edge of the plantation where there was little fruit. Several times we were given trees that were not in good condition. We picked all the fruit there was, but we couldn’t do more than that,” he said.
Abdul said he and four other Indonesian fruit pickers received three written warnings before being fired within five to six weeks of arriving at the plantation. He also alleged that other workers who had not met their targets were not dismissed.
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“When they let us go, Haygrove just said, ‘Sorry, we didn’t want this either,’ and gave us an official letter saying we had been fired and our tickets back to Indonesia leaving the next day,” he said.
Haygrove replied
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In a statement given to Al Jazeera, Haygrove said the workers were dismissed for poor performance and that it was committed to fair employment practices and the well-being of all its workers.
“On June 24, 2024, five Indonesian workers were dismissed following a thorough and fair disciplinary process for persistent poor performance. These dismissals were carried out in accordance with our structured performance management procedures which include multiple stages of feedback, training and support,” the farm said.
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The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), the UK’s main body investigating labour exploitation, opened an investigation into the case earlier this year. “A licensee must not charge workers for any job search services. However, other costs such as travel and medical checks may be charged as long as they are voluntary,” the GLAA’s licensing rules state. “Additional goods or services must be optional and cannot be discriminated against if not used,” the rules state.
In a statement given to Al Jazeera, the GLAA said it was investigating the workers’ complaints. “We are currently investigating the recruitment process of a number of Indonesian workers in the UK and are working to establish the true circumstances. We are unable to comment further at this time while the investigation is ongoing,” it said.
Haygrove said it takes allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and is fully cooperating with the GLAA investigation. “We were not aware of the illegal recruitment charges until concerns were raised by a third party and then reported to the GLAA by Agri-HR. Haygrove has a zero tolerance policy for such practices and is actively supporting the GLAA investigation,” the farm said.
“We stress that no issues have been raised directly by Indonesian workers regarding their recruitment, accommodation or working conditions at Haygrove,” he added.
After their dismissal by Haygrove, Abdul and two other workers decided to stay in the UK. Abdul has now found work on another farm picking lettuce, although his six-month visa is due to expire in November. After that, he must return to Indonesia.
PT Mardel told Al Jazeera that Indonesians who want to take advantage of the UK’s seasonal worker scheme must be able to cover the cost of visas, health checks, return airfare and insurance, as well as other processing fees in accordance with the provisions set by the Indonesian side, the Ministry of Manpower.
“The estimated cost is a maximum of Rp33 million (US$2,123),” said a company spokesman. “The workers we place in the UK are very happy to work there with very good wages. The farm also pays great attention to their welfare,” said the spokesman.
PT Mardel also said it had no relationship with Forkom. Forkom also did not respond to a request for confirmation on the case.
Other employees
Several other workers waiting to leave for the UK told Al Jazeera they were also burdened with debt. Ali, a seasonal worker applicant from Central Java province, said he was still waiting to leave for the UK after Forkom told him he could leave in August last year.
“They said if I go to the UK, I will earn $65 a day picking strawberries. I have to stop working in Indonesia so I can focus on collecting all the documents, but then I can’t go,” Ali, who asked to use a pseudonym, told Al Jazeera.
Ali said he now owes his family about $1,300. “I have spent all my money. Before, I used to buy second-hand goods and sell them on the roadside. I have been doing that for 25 years and it is enough for me to support my family,” he said.
“All information about the scheme was sent through Forkom and they made promises that were not kept. PT Mardel also said that we needed to transfer money to them to guarantee our jobs in the UK,” he said.
“My wife and children are suffering because all our money is gone,” Ali said. “I can’t afford to pay my children’s school fees and pocket money. The biggest impact is on my family. I always fight with my wife now because we don’t have money,” he continued.
In a statement sent to Al Jazeera, the Indonesian Embassy in London said it was aware of reports of exploitation of Indonesian fruit pickers in the UK. “The Indonesian Embassy in London supports the efforts of the Indonesian government to ensure the placement of seasonal Indonesian migrant workers in the UK is in accordance with the regulations and laws in force in both countries,” the Embassy said.
The embassy said it was aware that 136 seasonal workers arrived in the UK and were placed in seven workplaces in the UK on July 22, 2024. “The placement of these seasonal workers was in accordance with the recommendations of the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower as well as verification and consultation with relevant authorities in the UK,” he said.
Responding to allegations of extortion during the recruitment process, the embassy said it supported investigations and law enforcement by authorities in Indonesia and the UK, including encouraging an investigation by the GLAA.
Andy Hall, a labour rights activist who supports Indonesian workers, said British companies were increasingly turning to migrant workers because of Brexit. “That means they are now recruiting from far away, but they don’t want to pay the costs. If something goes wrong, it’s a very risky situation because workers think they are going to get a lot of money,” Hall told Al Jazeera.
“This is the fault of the British. The system is broken and the people who are doing it are broken. They are weak and naive. They have created a scheme that workers have to pay for themselves. If they do it right, everything will be fine,” he added.
Hall said supermarkets in the UK were a big part of the problem because they wanted to buy the cheapest products, so farms weren’t willing to pay for more decent workers. “The supermarkets are responsible for this mess. They have the money to do it properly. It’s all just price pressure,” he said. (Z-2)
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What are the main challenges faced by Indonesian strawberry pickers in the UK?
The Nightmare of Indonesian Strawberry Pickers in England: A Story of Debt and Exploitation
indonesian migrant workers (PMI) who pick fruit in the UK are facing a crisis. They claim to be in debt after being fired for not meeting work targets, and are now at risk of returning home without a penny. The reason is, they paid thousands of US dollars to go to the UK
The Nightmare of Indonesian Strawberry Pickers in the UK: Debt and Exploitation
The allure of earning a higher income in the UK has led many Indonesian migrant workers to leave their homeland in search of better opportunities. However, the harsh reality of exploitation and debt has left many of them with a bitter taste. The recent case of Indonesian strawberry pickers being fired from a UK farm has sparked outrage and shed light on the challenges faced by these workers.
The Lure of Higher Income
Indonesian migrant workers, like Abdul, were tempted by the promise of earning $65 a day by picking fruit in the UK. With an income of around US$130 per month in East Java, the prospect of earning more than five times that amount was too enticing to resist. Abdul, who borrowed US$4,000 from his family to cover the fees of two third-party organizations, PT Mardel Anugerah International and Forkom, was one of the many who took the leap of faith.
The Harsh Reality
However, the reality of the situation was far from rosy. Workers at Haygrove farm in Hereford were expected to pick 20kg of cherries and strawberries per hour, a task that became increasingly impossible due to the lack of fruit growing. The situation worsened as the harvest season wore on, with workers being placed on the edge of the plantation where there was little fruit. Abdul and four other Indonesian fruit pickers received three written warnings before being fired within five to six weeks of arriving at the plantation.
Debt and Exploitation
The workers’ complaints highlight the issue of debt bondage, where workers are forced to pay exorbitant fees to recruitment agencies, only to be exploited by employers once they arrive in the UK. The GLAA’s licensing rules state that licensees must not charge workers for job search services, but other costs such as travel and medical checks may be charged as long as they are voluntary [2].
Haygrove’s Response
In response to the allegations, Haygrove farm claimed that the workers were dismissed for poor performance and that it was committed to fair employment practices and the well-being of all its workers. However, the workers’ accounts of being placed on the edge of the plantation with little fruit, and being given trees in poor condition, raise serious concerns about the farm’s commitment to fair practices.
The Main Challenges Faced by Indonesian Strawberry Pickers in the UK
The case of Indonesian strawberry pickers in the UK highlights the following challenges:
- Debt bondage: Workers are forced to pay exorbitant fees to recruitment agencies, leaving them in debt and vulnerable to exploitation.
- Exploitation: Workers are often subjected to poor working conditions, inadequate training, and unfair dismissal practices.
- Lack of support: Workers may not have access to adequate support systems, leaving them isolated and vulnerable to abuse.
Conclusion
The case of Indonesian strawberry pickers in the UK serves as a stark reminder of the exploitation and debt that many migrant workers face. It is essential that employers, recruitment agencies, and governments take steps to protect the rights of these workers and prevent such cases from happening in the future. By writing SEO-optimized content, we can raise awareness about these issues and promote fair labor practices [[3]](https://www.bynder.com/en/blog/
