MIGRANT WORKERS JOURNEY
by MICHELE PALAZZI & ALESSANDRO PENSO
The project describes and documents the social and human working conditions of migrant people employed irregularly in Italy in the agricultural field, mainly as seasonal workers during the harvesting season.
They follow each part of the harvest of agricultural products such as melons, tomatoes, grapes, olives and oranges in several regions, such as Basilicata, Calabria and Puglia.
During the season, that lasts six or even seven months every year, they move for miles from East to West and from South to North of Italy in a sort of pilgrimage.
These irregular migrant workers live or, better, survive in empty houses without electricity and water and in extreme poverty conditions. They don't have any rights, any form of assistance, any voice, any other chance to find a work. And they work even 12 hours per day for only 25 euros. They are often referred to as the new slaves, at the mercy of corporals, mostly Italians, appointed to control not only their jobs but above all their life.
According to the Caritas, in Italy there are almost 4.900.000 migrants; at least, 700.000 of them are employed irregularly. The statistics provided by Inea - the National Institute of Agricultural Economics - refer of 102.000 people employed as workers in the agricultural field, but the "irregulars" are not included in the official count. |
