Fruit picking? Are they f***ing serious?

[emmcan]

So whichever hapless muppet got dragged out today to do the daily lying to the gullible has suggested that furloughed workers could br picking fruit.

Fuck me, how fucking badly run is this shitshow?

The reason that we have had a two decades of migrant workers doing these jobs is because British people are too lazy and incompetent to do them.

And now they expect furloughed workers to head out into the fields and get their hands dirty?

It will happen, in a fashion, as they will just stop paying money to people who refuse to work, but it will be an appalling form of slave labour.

@KeepWashingThoseHands Funny isn't it - Imagine if OP had said "Women or BAME" are lazy and incompetent - (rightly) it would have been deleted ASAP. But say "British" and add insult, it is fine.

We had a thread on this

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3883883-Fruit-picking-Jobs

Summary: ditch that 'lazy and incompetent' British workers stereotype op. Lots of people are applying, but there are real barriers in place for many for working seasonally more regularly. Farmers prefer foreign workers who have experience from their own countries due to tight profit margins / greed, and won't train up locals.

@Tonemeth Sorry, I just have a huge complex about people thinking I'm lazy because I do a desk job and can't do manual work. And that fibromyalgia isn't real or a proper disability.

How bigoted, British workers are not lazy and incompetent, any more than others. I have done farmwork, outside in nice summer weather, no problem.

Well furloughed workers can't take on other work without resigning, so that's a non starter.

I suspect its much more to do with the fact that British workers expect minimum wage, where others will work for peanuts. So the cheaper ones get the job.

You do realise that most of this market in the UK operates in breach of Modern Slavery Act, right? This isn't a hunky dory application process whereby EE workers happily accept any money offered. Most of them are forced to work or misled as to the wages, working and living conditions until it's too late.

I hear you. I'm the same, not fibro but i do worry people think I'm lazy when actually I'm just in pain! It is a good point though, not everyone is physically able to work in a field, and that's ok.

I hope things are going ok, I'm working from home just now and having far fewer bad pain days.

Bluntness, I don’t think it’s unreasonable at all for people furloughed to expect to be paid by the government until they have lifted the lockdown. They did not choose this lockdown. They did not choose for the economy to go under because of this. That was the government’s choice. And so the government is responsible for doing it all it can to shield the majority from at least the immediate negative effects - ie job loss, which - in a lock down would certainly lead to homelessness and mass debt, then probably rioting on the streets - there would certainly be no chance of implementing social distancing then. The government can ask people to do fruit picking but to force them is absolutely outrageous when they are the ones that have directly caused them to be out of work. And before anyone says it’s the virus that did that. It is not. A lockdown is only one option, and in fact it’s actually the least effective at controlling the virus long term. The only option that is effective is testing. And the WHO have been advising that since the outbreak started. The government did not invest in enough testing early on which is what has brought us to this situation.

@Rosehip10

My thoughts exactly.

PickAChew as covered above, it depends on your contract - you can work outwith the hours you would normally work. There is an exemption for this work though as the government are apparently prioritising it and offering an incentive.

And the only safe generalisation for the British public is that they won't pay prices for produce that guarantee both farmers and pickers a living wage. Just look at the bicthing when a 4 pinter of milk goes above £1.20 or thereabouts. It cost pretty much the same 20 years ago, btw.

@Goldenheart18 unfortunately we're in a bit of a barn door, horse has bolted scenario now. Until we get the infection rate much much lower the testing and contact tracing strategy won't work. Unfortunately we are in it for the long haul now.

Oh wait, the bit about hours is wrong I think - I quickly checked and it was in a newspaper. But the giv guidance is you can work as long as it isnt for your employer.

Exactly ellan. Basically those that were already contributing and will be paying the cost of lockdown when it ends have been illogically chosen as the group that should be willing to pick up a labouring bill too.

It also makes me laugh that it's always phrased as lazy British vs hard working immigrants. I've not ever heard of Spanish, Indian, African etc first generation families doing fruit picking en masse either, does that mean they've absorbed enough of the British culture to become lazy bastards, or is it simply that it's people with families to support in the Uk, versus cheap Eastern European labour that doesn't need to support a family with uk living costs?

That seems achievable from my London Borough. Yep, just looked into it- neatest fruit farm recruiting is 1hr 58mins away by car.

You lost the argument at lazy and incompetent. How fucking offensive.

Not everyone is suited to do fruit picking work, people with disabilities, pregnant women, people who need a job to fit round caring responsibilities for a start. People in their 60s and older may not have the fitness required.

I also suspect the government will make it compulsory to do this for furlough pay. Next step when all this is over and we don’t have migrant workers to do it because of Brexshit will be expecting people to do it for their benefits.

Eastern Europeans have STOLEN your jobs for YEARS, Brexit Voters!! Get out there and reclaim them back! It is your DUTY!!!

Those that didn't vote Brexit need not apply...

And once more with feeling!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of these jobs are live away from home. Social housing tenants are not allowed to live away from home for months or even weeks. Because they risk losing their home. 42 days is the maximum amount of time a tenant can be away

Housing associations are really strict on this. I sympathize with furloughed workers.......................Until they start posting divisive shit without even making themselves cognisant of the facts. Then the sympathy begins to run dry.

Another MNer had her elderly mum come to stay with her for three weeks (a while ago so not Covid related) Poor woman nearly lost her bungalow.

DH and i are SH tenants We both voted Remain.

What is going to happen as soon as furlough ends? All the workers will presumably go back to their jobs and there will again be no-one to pick fruit. The season can last till November. At least EU workers want the job and (usually) for the whole season.

Have you heard this in the daily mail or the sun?
I live in a farming county and the jobs are filled here. It may shock you to know, by british people as well as none british.

The employers were inundated with applications here so I dont believe there are not willing workers.

Eastern Europeans have STOLEN your jobs for YEARS, Brexit Voters!! Get out there and reclaim them back! It is your DUTY!!!

This isn’t a “gotcha” moment for you, this is exactly what Brexit voters were pissed off about! Yes those jobs have been given to immigrants, not because UK workers are too lazy and feckless to do them, but because the pay and hours are not sustainable for most people with financial/family responsibilities in the UK.

If you honestly believe that anyone should live and work in shitty conditions just so that they can say they have a job, then you are no better than those who wanted poor people sent to workhouses in the Olden days.

The objection has never been simply about “forriners taking our jobs” it’s about the fact that by paying crappy wages to people who are willing to live piled up in a portacabin, working 14 hours a day, the whole job economy is thrown out.

I’d be more than happy to pay extra for strawberries (for example) that had been picked by someone who was fairly paid. But I don’t know of any such thing. I buy fair trade tea and coffee and chocolate, but perhaps fair trade shouldn’t just be for overseas products.
Listening to a radio 4 slot on this a few weeks ago there was a mildly exasperated farmer talking about the fact that it was skilled work, so they didn’t want just anyone, and also there was nothing much to pick until June.

I don't think it should be compulsory but if you're furloughed and can help then it's a good idea

British people aren't too lazy to do the work.
The conditions offered are not in keeping with the social system at all.
The British Romany people who would fit this role were truly shafted and so now our cousins are coming over and doing the work instead as it's perfect for their and our past culture.