Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands launched the campaign ‘Proud employers, driven employees’ on Friday 18 June, with the slogan ‘Love your people like your crop’. The initiative aims to make entrepreneurs in the sector even more aware of their responsibilities and obligations towards their (international) employees.
The central platform for this initiative is the website ‘ proudewerkgeversindekas.nl ‘. ‘The reason for this initiative and the master plan for International Employees presented earlier this year can be guessed at,’ says Adri Bom-Lemstra, chairman of Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands. ‘Corona has put the position of international employees under the magnifying glass.’
Often negative examples were also related to greenhouse horticulture. ‘Certainly not always right’, says Peter Loef, policy specialist Labor at Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands. ‘We showed the Roemer Committee various companies where entrepreneurs had arranged the deployment of international employees well, including housing through a recognized employment agency.’
It must be better
Adri Bom-Lemstra realizes that as long as there are exceptions, the media knows where to find them: ‘So if we can do even better, we have to do better.’ Greenhouse Horticulture Netherlands wants to be the entrepreneurial organization of companies that give their employees just as much attention as their crops.
“If we eliminate the excesses, an example sector remains rest“
‘It is a fact that international employees are necessary for greenhouse horticulture. That fact brings with it responsibilities, which entrepreneurs should be well aware of’, emphasizes Peter Loef. ‘If we can banish excesses together, we will have a sector that can serve as an example of how it can be done, how it should be done. The media can no longer ignore that,’ says the policy specialist.
Flex work essential
In addition, the campaign is a clear signal to politicians. ‘The government may demand that cultivation companies treat their employees well. On the other hand, we expect the government to monitor abuses and deal with offenders.’
‘Governments, politicians and the Social and Economic Council (SER) must also realize that the deployment of international employees is largely based on seasonal work on cultivation companies. Flex work is and will remain a hallmark of greenhouse horticulture’, Adri Bom-Lemstra explains.
Take responsibility
‘Love your people like your crop’ is the message that the sector will expressly convey in the campaign ‘Proud employers, passionate employees’.
‘Entrepreneurs may hold each other accountable on matters that are less neatly arranged, but primarily each employer must take his own responsibility,’ says Adri Bom-Lemstra at the start of the labor campaign.
