Dept. of Consular Affairs warns Thai job seekers against berry picking jobs in Finland

[webfact]

Warning against berry picking jobs in Finland

 

 

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Consular Affairs has warned Thai job seekers about applying for berry-picking jobs in Finland, saying that returns may not worth the investments and the jobs are not comfortable as they may have thought.

 

Berry-picking jobs in Finland are usually available during July and September and, in the past several years, many Thais were tempted to apply for the jobs and eventually found out that they were cheated and ended up heavily indebted.

 

The Consular Affairs Department said that each job seeker would have to spend an average of 165,000 baht to secure the job. The expenses are broken down as followings: 65,000 baht upfront paid to the brokers and the rest to be paid upon arrival in Finland which include rental fees for overcoats, equipment to pick berries, lodging fees, transportation fees, visa fees and air fare.

 

The department said that earnings for the berry pickers would depend on the amount of berries picked and pickers are supposed to work from 4 am until late in the evening without days off. If a worker gets a day off, he or she will not get paid.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/warning-berry-picking-jobs-finland/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-03-08

[onemorechang]

If berry picking don't  work out

Maybe they can  find some other job to do there.

Edited March 7, 2017 by onemorechang

[Prbkk]

2 minutes ago, onemorechang said:

If berry picking don't  work out

Im sure there find some other job to do there. 

Not plucking?

[ezzra]

 

Berry picking in those countries has been nothing that a scam perpetrated by

unscrupulous people for many years, and every year they mange to convince

new group of suckers what it's too good to be true, and every year the gullible

are falling for it, well, let's see this year.....

[Get Real]

Yeah, right! Here we are warning about that the job might not be as comfortable as expected.
How terrible! Now people are really going to have to work to get paid. What a nasty and uncomfortable experiance!

[jollyhangmon]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

 

Berry picking in those countries has been nothing that a scam perpetrated by

unscrupulous people for many years, and every year they mange to convince

new group of suckers what it's too good to be true, and every year the gullible

are falling for it, well, let's see this year.....

I reckon we're talking Thai on Thai here, as in 'brokers', no?

Oh yes, it's said to have happened before ... 

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, Prbkk said:

4 hours ago, onemorechang said:

If berry picking don't  work out

Im sure there find some other job to do there. 

Not plucking?

Finishing 

[Lupatria]

Is this an attempt to protect local slave labor?

[slapout]

About the only people who will make enough to increase their bank account by a satisfactory amount are the Thai brokers here who get 65,000 baht for email contacts and possibly making airline bookings for the pickers.  Most labor such as this is paid by the amount of berries they pick and turn over to the contractor/farmer (does not include what they eat) during a work day and farm labor is normally from dawn until dusk. The government could print up a pamplet on what to expect and publish and hand out to those who have a intrest, if they had a real intrest in protecting their citizens.

Of course that might cut into someones cut of the brokers fee which may even be part of their family unit.

[elgordo38]

10 hours ago, onemorechang said:

If berry picking don't  work out

Maybe they can  find some other job to do there.

To cold and to expensive. 

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, Lupatria said:

Is this an attempt to protect local slave labor?

You guessed it. They are looking for those "Stupid is as stupid does" types. 

[Morch]

I wish someone would have warned me about the Mulberry picking/Rattan cutting combo at MIL's. Between the thorns and the juice, looked like a right bloodbath. 

[scorecard]

9 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

Finishing 

 Well I guess a few would be successful, in other words a happy ending.

[scorecard]

37 minutes ago, Morch said:

I wish someone would have warned me about the Mulberry picking/Rattan cutting combo at MIL's. Between the thorns and the juice, looked like a right bloodbath. 

 

Thai distant relative still pays 50Baht a day to hand cut rice, lunch provided.

[docshock13]

I am fairly certain Finland has strict labour regulations. So the the warning should not be about going to Finland, but being wary of unscrupulous brokers and ludicrous fees. But that would require the gov't to admit it's Thais shafting Thais. 

As well, there is a double standard that Thailand has no problem bringing in labour from neighbouring countries that are routinely paid less than the legal minimum wage here. 

[Morch]

Just now, scorecard said:

 

Thai distant relative still pays 50Baht a day to hand cut rice, lunch provided.

 

I got reaped, then, in more than one way.

[ResandePohm]

On 3/8/2017 at 5:23 AM, onemorechang said:

If berry picking don't  work out

Maybe they can  find some other job to do there.

That is not a possibility as the berry pickers are there on a tourist visa. Berry picking is available to everyone and is not counted as work so no work permit is required. Should they decide not to pick the berries then there are no other alternatives available to them