Description
The aim of the project was to strengthen social dialogue in the Polish agriculture sector in order to address the new challenges created by the inflow of Ukrainian refugees in terms of decent working conditions. It also raised the awareness of migrant workers, including Ukrainians, on their rights and train them on decent work, which contributed to avoid social dumping and labour exploitation.
The project built on a first phase, which activated bipartite and tripartite consultations to improve working conditions, including for migrant workers. The second phase included a new partnership with the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs (FPP) and the Polish Migrant Association (PSPM), as well as a Norwegian expert.
A survey mapped the main patterns of the employment of migrant workers in the agriculture sector, and both farmers and migrant workers were interviewed. A direct support to 25 Ukrainian migrant workers’ leaders in improving the conditions of migrant workers included training on rights and decent work. Guidelines on the integration and decent work of migrant workers were prepared in bipartite and tripartite consultations, involving also migrant workers representatives.
The following activities were carried out:
- survey and report on the working conditions and rights of migrant workers in the Polish agriculture sector
- online meeting with Norwegian expert on practices and rights of migrant workers in the sector in Norway
- development of training material and courses for 25 Ukrainian migrants on their rights
- bipartite and tripartite social dialogue consultations to develop guidelines for the sector
- information campaign on social media
- final conference for stakeholders in the sector.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several issues within the Polish agricultural sector, particularly focusing on the level of social dialogue and decent working conditions for migrant seasonal workers, with a specific emphasis on Ukrainian workers. The challenges included the high risks of incorrect working conditions due to the lack of decent work standards for seasonal workers, insufficient knowledge about their rights, the deterioration of overall economic conditions, low coverage of agricultural trade unions, high rates of undeclared work, and the increase in the number of foreign workers. The inflow of Ukrainian refugees further exacerbated these issues, creating a need to prevent social dumping and labour exploitation.
The project mapped migratory flows in the Polish agriculture sector through interviews and consultations with farmers and migrant workers, assessing their conditions and rights. An online meeting with a Norwegian expert was held to learn about Norwegian practices related to the integration and rights of migrant workers. A two-day Training Development Meeting was organised to develop materials and content, which were then used to train 25 Ukrainian migrants on their rights through an online course. Bipartite and tripartite social dialogue consultations were conducted with experts, social partners, and migrant workers, resulting in the development of guidelines to support the integration and upholding of working rights for migrant workers. Additionally, an information campaign was launched on social media, and a final conference was held to disseminate the project results to stakeholders nationwide.
The results achieved include improving social dialogue and cooperation within the Polish agricultural sector. The project raised awareness and capacity among migrant workers, including Ukrainians, about their rights and decent work standards. The training of Ukrainian migrant workers'' leaders helped improve the conditions of migrant workers by increasing their knowledge and capacity to defend their rights. The bipartite and tripartite consultations led to the development of guidelines that laid the foundations for better integration and upholding of migrant workers'' rights in the Polish agricultural sector. These outcomes benefited migrant workers, particularly Ukrainian refugees, by enhancing their working conditions and ensuring their rights were respected. The project also fostered trust among social partners and stakeholders, contributing to a more cooperative and inclusive agricultural sector.