BRITS applying for fruit picking jobs are being rejected over foreigners because they do not need to live in on-site accommodation, furious applicants claim.
Farm owners are instead hiring cheaper Eastern European workers who live in fleets of mobile homes based on their land — because they can dock food and housing costs from pay.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Brits who live locally to farms already have their own homes — and will “cost farmers more money” to hire, it is claimed.
The damning accusations come in spite of a government drive to encourage furloughed British workers to apply for some 80,000 seasonal jobs across the country in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
The farming industry has warned that thousands of tonnes of fruit and vegetables will rot in fields if the vacancies aren’t filled.
Some 35,000 Britons are said to have applied for seasonal worker vacancies so far.
Yet despite the patriotic call to arms, some 150 “critically important” Romanian fruit and vegetable pickers landed at Stansted Airport on Wednesday before being transported by buses to a 7,000 hectare super farm in East Anglia.
They will live in a fleet of existing accommodation on farmers' land, where they are usually charged around £70 a week for the privilege which is docked directly from their pay.
Brits who have applied for jobs say they have been rejected for “lacking experience” – despite adverts insisting “full training” will be provided.
Others, who come from agricultural and farming backgrounds, have simply been ignored.
Landscape gardener Anthony Hicks, 37, from Chessington, Surrey, applied for numerous fruit picking roles — but only heard back from one.
He said: "They said I'd not been accepted, no reason given.
"I have worked in vineyards, picked grapes, done landscape gardening for a decade.
"I'm willing to work and get off my backside and I don't understand why I'm not suitable.
"It's very demoralising to hear they need an army of people when it appears no one can get a sniff."
One 52-year-old woman, who has a career in fruit and vegetable sales, responded to a vacancy near London. But was then e-mailed by an Eastern European recruiter to say there were no vacancies.
Give now to The Sun's NHS appeal
BRITAIN’s four million NHS staff are on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
But while they are helping save lives, who is there to help them?
The Sun has launched an appeal to raise £1MILLION for NHS workers.
The Who Cares Wins Appeal aims to get vital support to staff in their hour of need.
We have teamed up with NHS Charities Together in their urgent Covid-19 Appeal to ensure the money gets to exactly who needs it.
The Sun is donating £50,000 and we would like YOU to help us raise a million pounds, to help THEM.
No matter how little you can spare, please donate today here
www.thesun.co.uk/whocareswinsappeal
She told The Sun: “I believe the real issue is that farmers want staff they can put in their own accommodation on site — which of course they get charged for therefore making the labour rate cheaper.”
Kelvin Williams, an equine dentist, and his wife both applied for jobs at a farm in Kent – but they were rejected without reason.
He said: “I know loads of other people who have also applied for these jobs locally and been rejected.
“They want people from abroad so they can fill up their accommodation, caravans and so on, which they can then charge for and knock down pay.
“English people don’t need accommodation. They can put all the foreigners in caravans – which they already own – and save a lot of money.”
Ruth Wollerton, 57, a horse groom from Oxford, said her son applied for a fruit picking job on a farm but also heard radio silence.
She said: “We’re hearing it over and over again, that hundreds of people we know are applying for these jobs but it’s clear the farms simply do not want British workers.”
The Sun contacted half-a-dozen firms advertising for seasonal workers yesterday to ask how many Brits they had hired. None responded.
A Government spokesman said last night: “While demand is currently being met, the farming industry will need more workers for the peak harvest months from late May.
“That will continue to be provided through existing seasonal work schemes, but the Government is also working with industry to help them manage and train new and inexperienced workers onto farms as they help with this effort.”
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS – STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures – and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun's Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply 'Like' our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain's best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.
- GOT a news story? RING us on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]
Source: Read Full Article