It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Glastonbury Festival hired hundreds of workers from across Europe on zero hours contracts and then fired them after just two days . . .
. . . one week after Jeremy Corbyn's high-profile appearance on the festival's Pyramid Stage with organiser Michael Eavis, in which the Labour leader received rapturous applause for saying young people need not "accept low wages and insecurity as just part of life".
Workers had travelled to Somerset from countries including Czech Republic, Spain, Poland and Latvia after being handed zero hours contracts to help with the large-scale clean-up . . .
. . . this year’s good weather, as well as the use of charity workers and on-site litter crews during the festival, meant that there was less rubbish after the event had finished. Up to 600 workers are understood to have now been laid off.
Video footage obtained by The Independent shows the sacked workers asking at least to be fed before they will leave the campsite. In the video, a man understood to be a litter-picking supervisor manhandles workers as they obstruct vehicles in protest, telling them they should be grateful for the two days' work.
The situation is particularly unfortunate for organisers given Mr Eavis's appearance on stage with Mr Corbyn during the festival.
As well as calling for better treatment of workers, the Labour leader asked whether it is right that "European nationals living in this country" face uncertainty about their future.
"I say they all must stay, and they all must be part of our world, and be part of our community," he said. "Because what festivals, what this festival is about, is about coming together. This festival was envisaged as being for music yes, but also for the environment, and for peace."
Cheryl Roberts, a British woman working on the site, said she was "ashamed" of how the labourers were being treated.
"Corbyn was the headliner of Glastonbury, really, he attracted the largest crowd with his speech,” she said. "So for Glastonbury not to have the decency to feed a group of workers that have travelled thousands of miles to be here, after supporting his speech about immigration and foreign workers… it just reeks of hypocrisy and is quite frankly embarrassing."
The situation is particularly unfortunate for organisers givenMr Eavis's appearance on stage with Mr Corbyn during the festival.
to start beef with another individual and to fight right where you are.
Asked whether Mr Corbyn would raise the issue with organisers next time he visits the festival, the spokesman said: "He is happy to raise it right now. "This kind of contract and these kinds of employment conditions are unacceptable."
They were reportedly promised two weeks' paid work but were laid-off after two days because there was less litter than expected
originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Kester
They were reportedly promised two weeks' paid work but were laid-off after two days because there was less litter than expected
Seems their job had finished , I don't know of any employer that would pay people for doing nothing when the work is done.
As for Corbyn's statement , I'd expect no less from him although I doubt he knows what their contract actually was so it's just a soundbite.
Robin Denton, 53, from South Africa, told The Independent that he had been coming to the festival to help pick up rubbish every year since 1997 and had “never seen the people treated so badly”.
“I’ve seen how things have changed and I think the main problem is the zero hour contract,” he said. “It says ‘if we don’t need you, goodbye’.
“In 1997 Michael Eavis would put £20 in our hands and say ‘thank you for helping us’. Over the years it’s regressed, and this particular year is the worst I’ve seen.
But this year the tractors have been free to help a team of volunteers from 15 different countries tidy up Worthy Farm .
www.somersetlive.co.uk...
originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: SprocketUK
a reply to: Kester
Seems the litter is picked up by volunteers so I'm not sure of the validity of the OP article.
But this year the tractors have been free to help a team of volunteers from 15 different countries tidy up Worthy Farm .
www.somersetlive.co.uk...
Seems there is no contract so no payment , probably free food though.
Working for your ticket
Recyclers/Litter pickers are recruited by the Festival. Initially people who have worked successfully before are approached, thereafter applications are taken from those who get in touch with the Festival. 2017 waiting list now closed to new applicants.
www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk...
originally posted by: InceyWincey
a reply to: SprocketUK
I've met Eavis as well, at Glasto and also the Pilton party later in September. As you say he budgeted for that work, ripped people off in my opinion, I'd pay the labourers.