Distributed all over West Friesland, more and more Ukrainians are finding their way. There are plenty of vacancies to fill, especially in the agricultural sector, where there is an imminent shortage of labor migrants. But, warns LTO chairman Trude Buysman: “Only if the preconditions are properly arranged. We must prevent abuses.”
Since a week, Ukrainians no longer have to apply for a work permit to be able to work in the Netherlands. This makes it easier for employers to hire Ukrainian refugees when they want to work.
And that is good news for glasshouse horticulture and horticulture, which is short of hands. In February, LTO chairman Trude Buysman stated that there was a threat of a 30 percent shortage of personnel. And that could be disastrous, especially for companies with a short harvest time, such as entrepreneurs with peonies or fruit. “We can certainly solve the shortage with this. For a large part yes, not everywhere”, says LTO chairman Trude Buysman. But she says there is more to it than that.
Preventing Abuses
“The Ukrainians who are already there are often traumatized. It is not just something,” says Buysman. “They need safety, good health care and security first. Then comes education for the children and only work last.”
Working in the greenhouse is then an option. “But only if the preconditions are properly arranged. We must prevent abuses. We do this in consultation with the municipalities. We also look at housing for the medium term.”
If they do want to start work afterwards, the refugees will be properly guided. “Because they run into many things because of the language barrier. For example, when registering, requesting a bank card and account.”
The living allowance also expires if they decide to go to work. “That only applies to those who are at work, not to the whole family. It is also good to go back to work,” says Buysman. “Sitting with a host family all day is not good either. It is important that they continue to meet, especially after something as serious as a war.”
In Hoogkarspel, the refugees even receive cycling lessons, Buysman reveals. “It is important to be able to go to work with your own transport. An employer often has a company bus that picks up everyone for work. But because the working hours differ, they have to drive up and down more often. That costs an employer a lot of time and money, especially now that petrol prices are also high.”
Hundred
Hundreds of Ukrainians are already working in West Friesland, including in greenhouse horticulture. These are mainly women. “The largest group here are women and children. There are also men, but most of them go back to Ukraine to fight.”
For example, a handful of Ukrainian refugees work at Karel Bloembollen BV in Bovenkarspel, where the working hours have been adjusted. “Mothers must be able to bring their children to and from school. That is why the times have been adjusted,” explains Buysman. “We are also looking at before and after school care.”
A Ukrainian woman and her child are also housed at PN Slagter, where cauliflower is grown. “They are well guided by the owner. Every step of the way.”
A little further on, in Enkhuizen, ten Ukrainians work at Jan de Wit en Zonen BV, a family business that specializes in flower bulbs. “The tulips bloom in April. The diseased bulbs are removed from between that sea of flowers. That ‘searching for sick’ is a labour-intensive job for which it is increasingly difficult to find people. “This Saturday a group of women will be given lessons. Do they like it? Can they handle the work?”
be open to it
Perry Pater, together with his brother Martin, owns a flower bulb business in Spierdijk. Soon he will receive a Ukrainian woman, who is happy to get to work. “We are certainly open to it. Where we can help, we certainly will.”
The deployment of Ukrainian employees can contribute to absorbing the shortage of labor migrants. “The world changes every day. In February there seemed to be a considerable shortage, but the war also has an effect on Poland. There are now 1.5 million Ukrainians there. So some Polish employees will come back to the Netherlands anyway.”
The Ukrainians – mostly women – can be used very well. Father mentions tulip heads, selecting, selecting and peeling as examples. “If they want to, of course. We have to treat them in a decent way, because many of them have suffered trauma. If we do that, they can get away from the stress by working, earn a decent salary and we see that the work is done. Then you get a win-win situation.”