Bulgarian workers/Keelings - read OP (threadbans listed)

Giggernaut · 17-04-2020 10:04AM

Can someone explain why this story isn't featured on RTE website? Where there any good morning discussions on it?

Figured this would be up there as big topics to discuss.

Tacitus Kilgore · 17-04-2020 10:05AM

Giggernaut wrote: »

Can someone explain why this story isn't featured on RTE website? Where there any good morning discussions on it?

Figured this would be up there as big topics to discuss.

It's not really a big deal, people are just short of outlets for their outrage.

17-04-2020 10:05AM

Tacitus Kilgore wrote: »

Virtually ain't all.

See what Im getting at..

If it's not crystal clear, it's ambiguous and useless.

When you include distribution (which you listed)you are going to include workers

Cows can be milked automatically nowadays and can pick up.mastitius etc automatically....any potatoe plant i seen sorts by weight/size automatically and a few bag auto aswell

Same as with apples,same as with cabbage...same as with beet......crops are moisture tested again many places automatically....strawberries requiring cutting by hand are by no stretch of imagination essential

paw patrol · 17-04-2020 10:06AM

Tacitus Kilgore wrote: »

What lockdown?

its a commonly used phrase - lockdown - to describe the current restrictions imposed on us.

you knew that though , again all you offer is sniping from the sidelines.
It says a lot about you.

Pretzill · 17-04-2020 10:06AM

Omackeral wrote: »

It’s been said on thread here that strawberries, and by proxy I assume other fruits, aren’t essential. Could the folks saying that give some examples of what they think are and are not essential foods. I’d have to think alcohol gets the chop anyway?

Lots and lots of products aren't essential including alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol has already been produced - it's future market may be affected.

17-04-2020 10:06AM

GarIT wrote: »

As I have said 20 times already the airport's need to be closed nobody should be coming in regardless of nationality. At this stage we should possibly even refuse entry to Irish if they aren't here already.

Cargo? Irish citizens for neccessary travel? people providing frontline services?

Tacitus Kilgore · 17-04-2020 10:08AM

Deleted User wrote: »

When you include distribution (which you listed)you are going to include workers

Cows can be milked automatically nowadays and can pick up.mastitius etc automatically....any potatoe plant i seen sorts by weight/size automatically and a few bag auto aswell

Same as with apples,same as with cabbage...same as with beet......crops are moisture tested again many places automatically....strawberries requiring cutting by hand are by no stretch of imagination essential

If you don't distribute there's no point doing any of the process before it though,

You are over simplifying the process, while you aren't wrong, not every stage of every operation in every producer is as above - this is where the ambiguity arises.

Best to leave it as foodstuff production, there's no way in hell anyone can say one food is more important than another - its madness to suggest IMO.

Tacitus Kilgore · 17-04-2020 10:09AM

paw patrol wrote: »

its a commonly used phrase - lockdown - to describe the current restrictions imposed on us.

you knew that though , again all you offer is sniping from the sidelines.
It says a lot about you.

Sniping at rubbish posts, responding to reasonable posts with reason.

Last 6 words could be deemed personal abuse I reckon.

thecomedian · 17-04-2020 10:09AM

Tacitus Kilgore wrote: »

It's not really a big deal, people are just short of outlets for their outrage.

Outraged and not understanding what they’re outraged at.
Stupid people.

completedit · 17-04-2020 10:10AM

Okay. Let’s think about it.

You have Keelings, the Bulgarian people here to earn a few shekels over the summer, the frontline staff and hospitals and the Irish population(some of who are anti anyone who isn’t from where I’m from) who are enduring fairly restrictive conditions.

We are in the midst of a pandemic and 160 Bulgarians have come into the country. The good side is they are hardworking and will be able to efficiency pick strawberries to keep food on the shelves and keep some sense of normalcy in these times. They gain because they don’t have to pay stupid money for rent and make enough to bring back to Bulgaria and live very well. That’s good for the Bulgarian economy and it’s good for the Irish consumer as it keeps the costs low and we don’t have to import strawberries from abroad when they can be grown here.

However, do Keelings really need to produce strawberries? Why not? They are a healthy food grown here and if we can keep the production going, makes sense.
What about the Bulgarian workers? Is it disregarding their well-being? I’d argue no. They’d suffer way more from the reduced earnings if they weren’t able to come.

My problem is people’s lack of humanity, don’t vilify people. These people are from inside the EU. Which Ireland has gained from. Back in the 90s, many Irish went to Germany and worked in the factories there for seasonal work. We have received huge funding from the EU and our economy has benefited enormously as a result. Most would say our standards of living have greatly increased too.

Graham · 17-04-2020 10:10AM

Deleted User wrote: »

When you include distribution (which you listed)you are going to include workers

Cows can be milked automatically nowadays and can pick up.mastitius etc automatically....any potatoe plant i seen sorts by weight/size automatically and a few bag auto aswell

Same as with apples,same as with cabbage...same as with beet......crops are moisture tested again many places automatically....strawberries requiring cutting by hand are by no stretch of imagination essential

You should tell EU agriculture that those 800,000+ pickers are actually unnecessary. It sounds like it's going to come as a surprise to the industry.

Ned Led Zeppo · 17-04-2020 10:10AM

Won't be eating strawberry jam any time soon.

Jinglejangle69 · 17-04-2020 10:10AM

Pretzill wrote: »

Lots and lots of products aren't essential including alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol has already been produced - it's future market may be affected.

Workers in supermarkets stocking shelves of alcohol are a risk and are at risk.

Alcohol need to be banned now and those workers sent home.

fryup · 17-04-2020 10:11AM

a lot of roma gypsies come from bulgaria ...oh oh

growleaves · 17-04-2020 10:11AM

lol . Are you saying Irish people would get off there arse to pick fruit?

Irish people are too good for that kind of more now, wouldn't do it.

Stop lying.

I've done much harder work when I worked as a labourer in the construction industry. Two years ago I being was paid 3x what Romanian labourers got on another site a few miles away.

The only reason foreign labour is brought in is so they can be paid near-slavery wages.

A very transparent propaganda tactic to lyingly say that Irish people turn their nose up at hard work - handily repurposed from the US ('jobs Americans won't do')

blinding · 17-04-2020 10:12AM

Tacitus Kilgore wrote: »

You Know That The Reason Irish People Don't Do This Work Is Because Its So Low Paid (Mostly) Due To Competition With Imports. In Order To Make It Viable They Have To Import Workers From Poorer Regions Who Are Happy To Do The Work For A Pittance Or Else The Foodstuffs Just Wouldn't Be Produced Here At All.

Tis Mighty ! The breaking of the backs of Romanians and Bulgarians. “ Housed “ in Containers and Caravans for what you admit is Low Wages. And when the Gang Boss or Boss says , I don’t like the look of that one ; Either away home or make sure he / she does not come back ( no workers rights ).

Here ! Strut out your Chest, Give it the Auld Chin. Sure twas’t this good since the British had the Whip Hand around here.:eek::eek:

Tis truly Remarkable that Irish People are not Ashamed of this Carry On :eek::eek:

It was not for this that Thomas Clarke or James Connolly fought for the Irish People ! !

Bob24 · 17-04-2020 10:12AM

paw patrol wrote: »

many people are missing the point - It'[s not about foreigners or strawberries.

as a nation we are all making sacrifices for this Covid19 .

People are confined to house (2km) haven't seen family in weeks, lost jobs and debts mounting up, cancelled holidays , firms going bust etc..etc…

The Taoiseach addresses the nation and gives the heartfelt pleas etc..
Now we see this.

Whatever you say , these people are adding to the mix. This cant be denied.
At a time when no more than 10 people can attend a funeral.

It's nonsense behaviour and makes a mockery of our "lockdown" and the threats from Drew Harris.

The next time the Taoiseach addresses the nation to give more updates and pleas for compliance .
His words will be empty and insincere cos of this.

Exactly. We are pretty much told we are at war with the virus and will do whatever it takes. And at the same time we are saying we can’t find workers to pick strawberries. This is completely inconsistent. If the argument is that picking those strawberries is critical to the country, there is no justification for not finding someone locally to do this.

The reality is that if we are genuinely saying we are in a life threatening situation with impending food shortage, and considering that over half a million just lost their job, saying at the same time that we need to fly over people from abroad to pick strawberries as we can’t do it with the local workforce is basically calling ourselves a failed country. And it isn’t about separating foreign/national workers - it is about mobilising ressources already present in the country if we are genuinely saying this is mission critical (including both nationals and non-nationals workers already present in the country amongst whom many are currently unemployed).

17-04-2020 10:13AM

Graham wrote: »

You should tell EU agriculture that those 800,000+ pickers are actually unnecessary. It sounds like it's going to come as a surprise to the industry.

This year,they shouldnt...the risks are just too high

Tacitus Kilgore · 17-04-2020 10:13AM

blinding wrote: »

Tis Mighty ! The breaking of the backs of Romanians and Bulgarians. “ Housed “ in Containers and Caravans for what you admit is Low Wages. And when the Gang Boss or Boss says , I don’t like the look of that one ; Either away home or make sure he / she does not come back ( no workers rights ).

Here ! Strut out your Chest, Give it the Auld Chin. Sure twas’t this good since the British had the Whip Hand around here.:eek::eek:

Tis truly Remarkable that Irish People are not Ashamed of this Carry On :eek::eek:

It was not for this that Thomas Clarke or James Connolly fought for the Irish People ! !

What in the holy hessian sack are you on about?

Story with the random capitals??

mgn · 17-04-2020 10:13AM

FVP3 wrote: »

The problem is there could easily be a cluster amongst themselves, which would be hard to contain.

And pass it on to local people working there who in turn bring it home to their families, so instead of containing the virus it only spread it around the area.

Tokyo · 17-04-2020 10:13AM

Mod: Thread has turned into somewhat of a píssing contest this past three pages. Make your points without the personal snipes with every second sentence please. Will card further snipes from here on in.

1o059k7ewrqj3n · 17-04-2020 10:13AM

Why don’t Keelings have their business in Bulgaria and Romania? Those countries would have better climate, more land, more poorly paid agricultural workers?

17-04-2020 10:13AM

weldoninhio wrote: »

Keelings isn't a market stall. One lost crop of strawberries isn't going to impact them.

Either food supply is essential or it isn't, sure we could all survive on rice for a few months,

plodder · 17-04-2020 10:14AM

growleaves wrote: »

Stop lying.

I've done much harder work when I worked as a labourer in the construction industry. Two years ago I being was paid 3x what Romanian labourers got on another site a few miles away.

The only reason foreign labour is brought in is so they can be paid near-slavery wages.

A very transparent propaganda tactic to lyingly say that Irish people simply turn their nose up at hard work.

They are paid minimum wage at minimum, and can earn more than that. My son is a student who works part-time in retail probably for less, and he's happy to do it. Hasn't mentioned anything about slavery anyway.

Deleted User wrote:

Either food supply is essential or it isn't, sure we could all survive on rice for a few months,

Right. It would be a futile waste of time trying to define what foods are essential.

Poor_old_gill · 17-04-2020 10:14AM

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

It's nice that only now you find this ridiculous, and never had issue with this practice for the years and years it's been going on.

Well actuality I do have an issue with the outsourcing of work but that’s a different debate.

However, the fact that you can’t see the current scenario as different to more or less any other period in our lifetimes is, at the least, worrying.

Graham · 17-04-2020 10:14AM

Deleted User wrote: »

This year,they shouldnt...the risks are just too high

And damn the consequences of leaving a large part of the EU harvest to rot.

growleaves · 17-04-2020 10:16AM

They are paid minimum wage at minimum, and can earn more than that. My son is a student who works part-time in retail probably for less, and he's happy to do it. Hasn't mentioned anything about slavery anyway.

I've been on multiple construction sites in the last few years - loads of Irish people willing to work at labouring.

ted1 · 17-04-2020 10:17AM

is_that_so wrote: »

Temp checks are for fever, a known symptom of the virus.

And that fever is reduced by taking nurofen which anybody who is travelling and not feeling well will take. Also you are contagious before you get the fever.

Graham · 17-04-2020 10:17AM

growleaves wrote: »

I've been on multiple construction sites in the last few years - loads of Irish people willing to work at labouring.

Any evidence those people now have an interest in seasonal fruit and vegetable harvesting?

Tacitus Kilgore · 17-04-2020 10:18AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Any producer that cant meet standreds required shouldnt be allowed sell food....it applies to meat sector as it is

Strawberries only in your world are of equal importance to all other foods....its lunacy the risks you want country to take,so you can have them

So what you're saying is all foodstuffs - except strawberries - are essential?

Bulgarian workers/Keelings - read OP (threadbans listed)

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