Thread by @DanielaGabor

how we fell out of love with Europe, Romanian reserve army of labour #COVID19 edition
Germany & Romania agree to let seasonal agricultural workers cross borders.
Several days later, chaos in Cluj airport, 2000 people queuing during 'pandemic lockdown' for chartered flights

in Germany, Romanians realise that German Agricultural Association & Federal government negotiated 'indented labour' terms of employment
1. Cant choose employer so no guarantee of EUR 9.35 min. wage
2. No health insurance!!!
3. Transport costs deducted from pay.

4. Very poor housing conditions, when quarantine means 'field-barracks' only .
5. Still food and housing conditions deducted from pay.
6. Romanians cant leave because employer needs to organise trip back.

this is how the European champion at #COVID19 measures treats its migrant workers on April 11, 2020 (spring onion pickers)

German trade unions mobilising to help denounce the cynicism of public debate in Germany, where the issue is framed as how do we keep (romanian) seasonal workers away from the German population.

dw.com/ro/reprezentan…

information of exploitative conditions comes from the interview with German Faire Mobilität representative, who notes that employers have taken advantage of pandemia to impose such terrible conditions on migrant workers

dw.com/ro/reprezentan…

this is not just Germany. In Austria, care workers have had their passports taken away, and only returned once civil society kicked up a public scandal.

and the German translation of that @DeutscheWelle interview with Sobolcz Sepsi, of the German Fair Mobilitat, documenting the shameful abuses of Romanian seasonal workers - many thanks @MatthiasThiema3

https://twitter.com/MatthiasThiema3/status/1249425095757529095?s=20