• It requires knowing the reasons for carrying out this type of campaign in a state of alarm due to the coronavirus
The Popular Parliamentary Group has presented a battery of questions in Congress to demand explanations from the Government about the campaign launched by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy to detect possible cases of what they describe as “labor exploitation” and even “slavery” by businessmen
agricultural, a campaign that is damaging the image of the sector and for which the appearance of the Ministers of Labor and Agriculture in the Lower House is also requested.
In their questions, the GPP deputies in the Agriculture Commission of the Congress ask the Government to explain how it is possible that they have sent labor inspectors to the Spanish countryside in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, with all that this entails. And also, to look for cases of "labor exploitation" or "slavery", discrediting the image of a sector that is fundamental to our economy.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the government and the political groups that support it stigmatize the sector. Already in the explanatory memorandum of Royal Decree-Law 5/2020, a whole declaration of intent was included when accusing the primary sector as a whole of the primary sector, charges that were denounced by the spokeswoman for agriculture, Milagros Marcos, in the validation debate.
The MPP deputies do not understand how the Government, instead of helping the sector and solving its problems, is undermining its credibility and good name, damaging the image of our products in the national and international market, something especially serious in a moment of economic strangulation of the entire sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The GPP condemns the specific cases that may exist in some agrarian farms with illegal behavior, but is concerned by the general doubt that has
The Government has generated and understands the discomfort that this campaign has generated within the agri-food sector.
In this sense, the deputy spokesperson for the GPP, Marta González, the spokesperson for Agriculture, the GPP, Milagros Marcos, and the deputies María Soledad Cruz-Guzmán, Ana Belén Vázquez, Juan José Matarí and María José García-Pelayo, have presented the following questions about the campaign launched by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy:
– What instructions has the Labor and Social Security Inspection sent to carry out the aforementioned campaign?
– What is the content of the questionnaire prepared for the inspection?
– In which regions or provincial headquarters has the campaign been ordered?
– Have inspections of similar characteristics and intensity been carried out previously on agricultural activity?
– Was the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food aware of the launch of the aforementioned inspection campaign?
– What assessment does the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on it?
– Has there been, in recent years, an increase in complaints of labor exploitation in agricultural activities? What is the reason for carrying out the inspection?
– Have the Ministries of Labor and Social Economy and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food been coordinated to carry it out?
– Do you consider that the Alarm State, with the limitations it supposes, is the best time to carry out the inspection?
– Does the Government think that labor exploitation and slavery is widespread in Spanish agricultural activities? In your case, since when do you think it occurs?
– With the launch of this campaign and its repercussion in the media, has the Government calculated the damage to its image and reputation for all Spanish products?
– What measures are you going to adopt to improve the image of the Spanish countryside in the face of the discredit campaign of the last three months?
Likewise, the GPP will request the urgent appearance of both the minister responsible for starting the survey, Yolanda Diaz, head of Labor, and the head of Agriculture, Luis Planas, in their respective committees in Congress.
