10 signatures reached
To: DEFRA AND MAPAMA
Almerias Dirty Little Secret, Modern day Slavery
Stop the inhumane working conditions of illegal immigrants in Almeria, Spain, who work in the Giant Greenhouses in stifling hot conditions with virtually no rights or fair working conditions. The food produced here is exported to the UK and other countries, the plastic that is used for the greenhouses is then discarded into the Mediterranean killing sea life including whales..
Why is this important?
Human rights are being abused for profit, the public should be made aware of the where and how their food is being grown at the expense of human life and the environment. There are many issues here, the British and Spanish Governments must be made aware of the horrifying scenario immigrants are being subjected to.
Thousands of people toil under the polythene sheeting that make up the huge greenhouses. They’re mostly migrant workers, Moroccans, Senegalese and Malians, who have gone to Spain seeking a better life, many risking their own lives on the way.
Working in the polythene greenhouses temperatures can sometimes soar to 50 degrees. Up to 120,000 people work producing nearly three million tonnes of fruit and veg every year for export to Britain and across northern Europe.
Some actually live inside this plastic hothouse. At night, when the security gates are closed, they are locked in.
Some who dare to complain of any ailments can be blacklisted, leaving them stranded with no money to get back to wherever they travelled from. Some of the
Physical illnesses are caused by pesticides, which are sprayed during working hours where workers are exposed to the deadly and toxic atmosphere, they are not given masks or safety goggles to protect themselves from potentially fatal
outcomes to the exposure.
How can we sit at our dinner tables knowing that the men and women, who are someones, mother or father, son or daughter are being treated like modern day slaves in order to feed the rest the UK and the rest of Europe. Michael Gove and George Eustice need to be sure that the food they claim they want to be safe and sustainable is not jeopardizing human life in the process..The most heinous thing about this is this nothing new, this has been going on since the 1980s!!!! What will it take to make these Governments stop and change this shocking situation..DEFRA need to scrutinise the integrity of who we buy and import our food from! Together with the environment ministers who should question the side effects of the disposal of the discarded polythene..Please sign the petition to get fair working conditions for these poor migrants, they are human beings.
