Migrant Workers in Spain’s Greenhouses Face Low Pay and Harsh Living Conditions

Migrant workers in southern Spain’s massive greenhouse industry say they are facing low pay, difficult working conditions and harsh living conditions as they help produce fruits and vegetables for markets across Europe.

In Almería province, thousands of workers are employed in the region’s extensive network of greenhouses, which produces millions of tons of fresh produce each year. The area has become known as Europe’s vegetable garden and, because of its enormous number of greenhouses, the “Sea of Plastic.”

But for some migrant workers, life outside the greenhouses is far more difficult.

Amoateng Foster, a 44-year-old former math teacher from Ghana, now lives in an informal settlement in the Almería area. He told CNN the settlement has no official electricity or running water, and residents often live in makeshift structures built from available materials.

“It’s not rosy here,” Foster said.

Workers without proper documentation told CNN they sometimes earn significantly less than those with legal employment. While documented agricultural workers can earn at least Spain’s minimum wage, some undocumented workers said they receive as little as four or five euros per hour.

The greenhouse industry employs more than 70,000 people registered with Social Security in Almería, according to government data. Unions and nonprofit organizations say the actual number of agricultural workers is significantly higher because undocumented migrants are not included in official figures.

The Spanish government has introduced an amnesty program aimed at helping hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants obtain legal status.

The region has also seen growing political tension over immigration. Southern Spain has become a stronghold for the right-wing Vox party, while some residents have expressed opposition to the growing migrant population.

Despite the challenges, migrant workers remain an important part of the agricultural workforce. Foster said migrants and the businesses that employ them depend on each other.

“The government has seen that they need our help,” he said. “And they are also helping us. It’s a mutual benefit.”

CNN Newsource contributed to this report.

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