HELSINKI: Nearly 3,000 berry pickers from Thailand and other countries required to apply for entry visa are expected to arrive in the country in 2015.
In a move aimed at improving the welfare of berry pickers arriving in the country, the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as several berry companies signed a letter of intent in December last year. The berry companies which signed the agreement are committed to expand orientation of the tasks involved in berry picking, as well as take into account a more detailed concern on the conditions of berry pickers accommodation and washroom facilities and their food service.
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The letter of intent, however, does not define the minimum pay for the berry pickers. “This (letter of intent) is the so-called gentleman’s agreement not a legal norm,” said Olli Sorainen, Senior Government Counsellor at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. According to Sorainen, a total of sixteen berry companies have signed the agreement, and more companies are expected to be party to the agreement in order to improve the coverage.
