News Forum - Finnish CEO detained for alleged mistreatment of 1,100 Thai berry pickers

[Thaiger]

Finnish police have arrested and detained the CEO of berry company “Polarica” under suspicion of human trafficking. CEO Jukka Kristo allegedly “deceived” 1000 Thai berry pickers and housed them in “poor conditions.” This year, Kristo’s company flew around 1,100 Thais to Finland to work as berry pickers – an industry that heavily relies on a foreign workforce. The CEO has arranged seasonal work for Thais for several years. In total, 17 of Kristo’s Thai berry pickers filed complaints of forced labour and low wages with the Thai agency who employed them. All 17 returned to Thailand with the assistance of the […]

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[palooka]

Last year, 70 of the 3,200 Thais working in Finland filed complaints about employment issues.

The rest were probably shit scared, had no knowledge of rights and were being used by this low life for personal enrichment.

Thai Govt need to get their act together to protect their citizens in this sort of scheme (and many others) before they leave the country, tying these shamsters up legally before anyone gets on a plane.

[Cabra]

Thailand is always touting these programs for it's workers. Exporting labor to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, etc. But then forget about them. Many times it's a bait and switch or just terrible conditions. I'd like to see THA taking more interest and responsibility for the workers being exported. 

[gazmo16]

For Thai workers to complain about conditions and  wages you can probably  imagine just how bad things must have been .

No wonder they cant get Finish workers to fill the vacancies.  

[gazmo16]

Usual story I suspect,  company gets a big tax break for emptying the Thais then treats them like crap while holding them  financially hostage until the jobs done. 

[TheDirtyDurian]

Get paid by the punnet...

There's a reason Finn won't do the job.