The putrid smell of Norwegian strawberries

TV-tip that takes you on holiday

Jordbærplukkere that are flown in from Vietnam this summer created a huge and important debate here in Norway. The workers are flown in to pick the berries to a generalised tarifflønn on 123,15 dollars an hour - far below what most of the Norwegian employees get to go on the NAV.

Circumstances have embodied a grim truth about the parts of the Norwegian labour market. It is in reality been the acceptance of the two sets of rules: One lønnsregime for Norwegian employees, and one for foreigners.

Turn On the LydErrorAllerede plus customer? Log into herError FLYING HIGH: the centre party and the party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum commanded journalists on the strawberries and the usual good mood at the party at the press conference. Vedum draws on the shoulders of yesterday's populist attacks from the Ap leader Jonas Gahr Støre. Video: Jorgen D E". Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB Scanpix Show more

The almost 300 000 registered unemployed in this country have no interest to go into this work. "Timelønnen" their, based on the unemployment benefits for those between 300 000 and 600 000 in income, are between 125 and 210 million every hour.

We shall in no way blame it on laziness or relax norwegians. This is institutionalized. The employers ' side, and powerful forces in the agricultural sector, will not have any of the higher salaries. They are well satisfied with an arrangement where arbeidsintensivt agriculture becomes competitive because of a salary level that it is hardly possible to live in Norway.

Centre party Per Olaf Lundteigen is a good frispiller, and has in recent weeks taken a welcome settlement with this system. He has aggravated the vested interests - of course, far into the Centre party's own hinterland. In yesterday's class struggle, he advocated for "folklore and new alliances for a new jordbrukspolitisk course" - and call on the cooperation between the trade unions, the environmental movement and jordbruksbevegelsen. It is a good intitiativ, for here it is a long canvas that need to whiten.

This is not just a discussion which has passed in Norway. In the light of coronasituasjonen has also been the major debates in various EUROPEAN countries and in the united Kingdom that the share of agriculture is completely dependent on the underpaid labor of harvest. In the EUROPEAN union is in progress a work around this. In the new "Farm two Fork Strategy" should the union work with the objectives of shorter supply lines, lower emissions and less ecological footprint. This is an important part of the Eu's green impetus, and has been a tilleggsdimensjon under coronaen: the Crisis has highlighted the need for security of supply - also in the light of the effects of climate change. Like other national issues is also dependent on an international solution.

the Stool next to the fields, lack of hand washing and workers without contracts, You can submit your article and opinion piece in Dagbladet here

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