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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/10/uk-shops-italian-tinned-tomato-sourcing-workers-exploitation-concerns
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| UK shops urged to look at Italian tomato sourcing over exploitation concerns | UK shops urged to look at Italian tomato sourcing over exploitation concerns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Food retailers are being urged to investigate the way they source tinned tomatoes and passata after an investigation found evidence of widespread mistreatment of farm workers in Italy. | Food retailers are being urged to investigate the way they source tinned tomatoes and passata after an investigation found evidence of widespread mistreatment of farm workers in Italy. |
| About 60% of processed tomatoes sold in the UK come from Italy where the Ethical Trading Initiative, a body that brings together companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations to improve conditions at retail suppliers, said it found “massive exploitation” of migrant workers who pick and pack tomatoes. | About 60% of processed tomatoes sold in the UK come from Italy where the Ethical Trading Initiative, a body that brings together companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations to improve conditions at retail suppliers, said it found “massive exploitation” of migrant workers who pick and pack tomatoes. |
| Its report said migrants from outside the EU typically worked very long hours with wages 40% lower than the legal minimum. Illegal gangmasters known as caporali were taking a cut of workers’ pay and social contributions leaving them earning as little as €3 an hour over a 10- to 12-hour working day. Legally employed workers would take home €8.20 an hour. | Its report said migrants from outside the EU typically worked very long hours with wages 40% lower than the legal minimum. Illegal gangmasters known as caporali were taking a cut of workers’ pay and social contributions leaving them earning as little as €3 an hour over a 10- to 12-hour working day. Legally employed workers would take home €8.20 an hour. |
| Underpaid workers are reduced to living in abandoned buildings or slums. An estimated 100,000 are forced to live in unsanitary and derelict housing, according to the research institute Osservatorio Placido Rizzotto. | Underpaid workers are reduced to living in abandoned buildings or slums. An estimated 100,000 are forced to live in unsanitary and derelict housing, according to the research institute Osservatorio Placido Rizzotto. |
| “In a race to make the biggest possible profit, employment laws are being routinely ignored,” said Nick Kightley, the ETI’s food and farming adviser. “Reliance on migrant workers, and the employment illegalities inherent within the tomato sector, have massive knock-on implications for those UK retailers that want to ensure their supply chains are abuse-free.” | |
| The ETI did not single out any retailers for criticism, but a spokeswoman said bad practice was ubiquitous in the Italian tomato processing industry. She said some ETI members were already looking into the issues. | The ETI did not single out any retailers for criticism, but a spokeswoman said bad practice was ubiquitous in the Italian tomato processing industry. She said some ETI members were already looking into the issues. |
| A BRC spokesperson said: “As an industry, we take very seriously any allegations of ethical labour issues in our supply chains. The welfare of workers is of paramount importance to retailers and BRC members are working hard to improve practices in their supply chains across the world. | |
| “BRC members will review this report and take what actions they deem appropriate. However, enforcement authorities at all levels must play their part and support industry by ensuring that the law relating to ethical labour practices is properly enforced.” |