Two jailed for Bordeaux grape-picking exploitation

A father and son who ran a viticultural contractor have been jailed for exploiting grape-pickers in Bordeaux.

Jilali and Larbi El Guazra, who ran a firm called EG Vitiprest, were found to have exploited workers from Morocco by making them work long hours without a break as well as housing them in ‘insalubrious’ conditions, it has been reported.

Labri, who ran the firm, and Jilali, his father who was a foreman, follows similar cases in other French wine regions, including Champagne, where four seasonal workers died in the vineyards during extreme heat conditions.

According to Vitisphere, the El Guazras had coerced Moroccans to France with employment contracts, which then saw the pickers working from the early morning at around 5am until 2pm without having any break.

Trafficking

In what a local paper described as a human trafficking operation, the contract included three years of employment, accommodation and a monthly salary of €1600

In all there were 14 workers, but only three were at the trial, and following the vineyard work they were then used for maintenance at a construction site.

They were housed in La Réole located in the south east of the Bordeaux region, where there was no hot water, toilets without seats or locks, no cupboards and faulty electrics.

Laid off

Le Républicain reported that an average Moroccan salary was around €300, and the case came to light when the workers were laid off after only three months, having been paid only between €200 and €700 a month. A salary slip was presented, which showed workers had €200 deducted for lodgings.

Larbi El Guarza was given a 30 month sentence and Jilali was given 15 months with a total fine of  €50,000 given as well. In addition, the duo were prohibited from running an agricultural firm for five years.

Three additional family members who worked for the company had their cases dismissed.