Labor Vulnerability Among Migrant Agricultural Workers in Spain: Perceptions of Professionals

Abstract

Various social actors highlight the precarious living conditions of migrant agricultural workers in Spain. Their administrative situation and economic instability make them more susceptible to various forms of abuse. NGOs like Caritas have warned that over 80% of this group experiences economic exploitation, and the Spanish Ombudsman has urged affiliated organizations to seek an alternative to this situation. In response to this scenario, this study aimed to understand the working conditions and factors influencing the remuneration of this group in Spain. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 92 professionals linked to caring for these workers in the fields of health, social services, NGOs, agricultural organizations, and labor unions. Fieldwork took place in four autonomous communities traditionally hosting a significant presence of this group (Catalonia, La Rioja, Murcia, and Andalusia) between February 2021 and March 2022 as part of the first phase of the AGROMISALUD project. The results reveal that, despite existing regulations, various labor rights violations occur among the workers. Respondents indicated that it is common for working hours to exceed the norm, wages are often paid on an hourly or piecework basis, and the final salary varies depending on the profit made by the farmer. The precarious legal and economic situation of migrant agricultural workers forces them to accept these conditions to survive, negatively impacting their health and the development of their migration project.