Over one million migrant workers are involved in agricultural harvesting across Europe. They are the invisible workforce that fills our supermarket shelves, moving from one region to another in search of opportunities and better working conditions. Most of them have no contracts, no minimum wages—many are undocumented, having gone into debt to arrive illegally in Europe. The Pickers is a journey through the fields where the fruits and vegetables we eat every day are grown: blueberries in Portugal, olives in Greece, strawberries in Spain, oranges in Italy. When profit margins are too tight, farmers often resort to cutting workers’ wages—a vicious cycle from which there seems to be no escape. While abuses in supply chains like chocolate and coffee are now widely recognized, this investigative documentary provides a comprehensive look at the exploitation of irregular labor in the agricultural sector and questions whether an alternative system is possible.
Following the screening, a talk will be held on agro-food supply chains, activism, and gender equality, featuring climate activist Sofia Pasotto and Elisa Trento, National Coordinator of the The Pickers Campaign, Extinction Rebellion, and Ultima Generazione. Moderated by WeWorld.
The talk will also offer a space for networking and visibility for movements, activists, and engaged citizens working on these issues.
This initiative is part of the Rebooting the Food System project, co-funded by the European Union.