Italy's Migrant slaves + Orange pickers in rosarno

They harvest tomatoes, oranges, tangerines or melons. They slave for up to 14 hours a day. They live mostly in shacks cobbled together from plastic or cardboard. Or in empty huts, factories or even in tents. They live mostly without running water, with no heating and no electricity.

They harvest tomatoes, oranges, tangerines or melons. They slave for up to 14 hours a day. They live mostly in shacks cobbled together from plastic or cardboard. Or in empty huts, factories or even in tents. They live mostly without running water, with no heating and no electricity.

This sort of exploitation is found everywhere in Italian agriculture. And not only in the poor South, but in the rich North too. Most day labourers are Africans or East Europeans. Physical mistreatment, extortion, rape, intimidation or even murder are the daily order.

Everywhere the same unwritten rules apply: No contract, up to 14 working hours a day, no medical care – and a daily rate of at the most 30 Euro. Mostly less commission, because up to 50% of their wages go to the Caporale, Caporalato is the illegal employment of under-paid farm workers.