Huelva farm accused of abandoning Moroccan workers without pay or papers

A group of Moroccan women who came to Huelva for seasonal strawberry picking have been left jobless, without pay, and under pressure to return home, according to a Spanish workers’ union that’s now calling for urgent action.

The women arrived in Spain on April 7 to work on a farm operated by Berrys la Dehesa. But after just a few weeks, their work stopped. 

Since early May, they haven’t been given any new tasks, and the company hasn’t provided contracts, payslips, or even started the paperwork they need to stay and work legally in Spain.

The CCOO (Workers’ Commissions) union says the women are now stuck, no jobs, no income, and no help from the employer. 

One of the women is five months pregnant, adding to the urgency of the situation.

To make matters worse, the union claims the employer has been pushing the women to leave Spain on their own, without offering support or fulfilling promises made when they were hired. 

“They were counting on this work and even sent their wages from April back to their families,” said the union. “Now they’re left in a very vulnerable situation.”

Some of the women are reportedly afraid to stay at their assigned housing, fearing they could be forced out or retaliated against. 

They’ve even started spending time away from home during the day to avoid contact with the employer.

In a recent phone call between a union representative and the farm owner, things escalated. 

According to CCOO, the businessman refused to fix the situation and ended the call with the words: “You’re not going to fool me, kid.”

The union says over 85% of the promised work time hasn’t been fulfilled, which clearly violates Spanish labor laws. 

They’re now demanding that the women’s legal status be fixed immediately, their rights protected, and that those responsible, both in the company and possibly in public institutions, be held accountable.