Almost everyone working in Sjoerd van Adrichem's greenhouse in Westdorpe, Netherlands, is from abroad. Meanwhile, the government is moving forward with plans to reduce the number of migrant workers. Can Sjoerd van Adrichem manage with only local workers? "We simply can't do without them," he tells Omroep Zeeland.
"We regularly get calls from local Dutchmen and Belgians who want to come and work here." Yet for Van Adrichem, that almost always ends in disappointment. "We refer them to the employment agency, only a few respond to that." And so he has to rely primarily on international workers.
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Partly it has to do with the prejudices, the tomato grower thinks: "In greenhouse growing there is always the idea that it is hot work and that you get dirty quickly." He himself thinks differently. "I think it's the best work there is. You always work dry. In the summer, the weather is always nice. It's not as hot as people think. And even if it rains outside. you're still dry working here." But until that realization sets in, his greenhouse has almost only migrant workers walking around.
Cabinet
"The cabinet is working out plans around international workers. PVV and NSC think it could do with a little less, and also a voluminous report recently showed that it would be better for the Netherlands if the number of migrant workers is reduced. There is also irritation about the living space that migrant workers and expats are taking up in the already tight housing market.
Van Adrichem understands those thoughts, but doesn't think cutting back is the solution. "We still need people doing this work. Greenhouse horticulture Netherlands is one of the largest sectors of the Dutch economy. There are many jobs and if they can't be filled by Dutch people, we have to look elsewhere. Glasshouse horticulture is now established in the Netherlands. We can't pick it up and move to somewhere else."
Importance of Zeeland's economy
According to André van der Reest, who as alderman of Goes is in charge of the labor market on behalf of the Zeeland municipalities, international workers are indispensable in the entire Zeeland economy. "The importance is very high, we currently have 10,000 vacancies and for that we need foreign workers desperately."
The number of international workers in Zeeland is around 15,000. Per year this number increases by about 17 percent. The distribution is: 20 percent higher educated knowledge workers (expats) and 80 percent lower educated international workers (labor migrants).
Van der Reest wants to have a say in The Hague to ensure that Zeeland is not overlooked. "What I find important is that we as a region do have a say and can influence the cabinet plans. Okay fine cabinet if you decide you want to be selective, but then we would like to think along."