From Portugal – Atlanco (ARG)

From Portugal to Portadown

An Insight Investigation

 

The shocking treatment of migrant workers in Northern Ireland is the focus of a major Insight investigation this Thursday.  A story of how Northern Ireland’s latest import could soon become its new underclass.

 

Using the very latest secret camera technology, and with the assistance of one Portuguese worker who felt compelled to highlight the plight of his fellow countrymen, Insight goes undercover to reveal a hidden world of disgruntled workers living in shoddy conditions.

 

A world where complaints over pay are commonplace; where workers live in fear of being dismissed and thrown onto the street; and where agency supervisors rule through misinformation and fear.

 

There are an estimated 2,000 Portuguese in the Province at present, mostly working in food processing industries where labour shortages have forced employers to look abroad.

 

The workers are found in towns where the industries are based such as Portadown, Ballymena and Carrickfergus. In Dungannon, a town with 10,000 inhabitants, almost one tenth of the population is now thought to be Portuguese.

 

They are brought into Northern Ireland by recruitment agencies promising high wages, free travel and accommodation.  However, the reality often falls far short of the promise and workers feel duped as they only sign their employment contracts once they land in Northern Ireland.  Any change of mind at this stage would leave them having to repay their airfare from Portugal, with no job and no home.

 

Despite their European Union status which should afford them the same rights as anyone born here, many of these workers are treated anything but equally.  They are paid considerably less than Northern Irish workers doing the same job, and in some cases their pay rates may be below the legal minimum.

 

Mario, 31, from north of Lisbon in Portugal, wore a secret camera on behalf of Insight for a week.  Based in Portadown, he worked for Atlanco – the Dublin-based agency at the forefront of this human traffic – and was hired out as a cleaner to chicken processors Moy Park, Atlanco’s number one client in Northern Ireland.

 

He explained why he took part:

 

“It was the wish of getting the people to know what is happening with the Portuguese community. It is important because it includes a lot of people from my country”

 

The programme follows Mario as he discusses concerns over pay with other workers, their fears about approaching a trade union to discuss matters, and the Atlanco supervisors’ remarkable attempts to prevent Mario joining the union, or encouraging others to seek help.

 

Alongside the footage gathered by Mario, Insight also mounted a “sting” operation on the recruitment agency Atlanco.  Posing as industrial cleaners needing labour, the programme makers arranged meetings with the agency to discuss the possibility of a million-pound contract.

 

The nature of the contract, which will be revealed in the programme, was highly dangerous for the workers concerned and it was explained to Atlanco that no other recruitment agencies were prepared to even consider it.  But with a premium price on offer, Atlanco was willing and able.

 

-Ends-

For further information, contact Orla McKibbin, UTV Press Office on

028 90 262188

Ciekawa strona na temat atlanco

Jest po czesku ale mozna zrozumiec tutaj

Ogloszenia Atlanco Rimec Group (ARG)

Sporo ogloszen Atlaco pojawilo sie w sieci

polinia kingston na dole strony

Edinburgher

oraz po w pisaniu na interia.pl atlanco

wiec przestrzegam , jak wczesniej .

Atlanco Rimec Group (ARG) poszukuje

Mezinárodní společnost Atlanco Ltd hledá zkušené řezníky a pracovníky do masokombinátů s volnými místy ve Velké Británii a zbytku Evropy. Výborné pracovní podmínky (pracovní smlouva), platové ohodnocení, ubytování a doprava hrazena zeměstnavatelem. V případě zájmu kontaktujte Piotr Kania, 07919533431, Malgorzata Korpala 08707507260, 07810432309, pkania@atlanco.co.uk, fax 44 (0) 870 750 7261. link

a komentarz do tego moze byc taki

nie radze nigdzie jechac przez ta agencje a przynajmniej do anglli.agencja placi za wszystko za dojazd do pracy mieskanie itp ale odciagaj te wszystkie koszty z twego wynagrodzenia podam przyklad
wynajecie domku na piec,szesc osob kosztuje ok 700 funtow + tax 120 funtow to wychodzi 820. a jesli mieszkasz w domu wynajetym przez agencje placisz ok 300 funtow + rachunki od osoby. wiec liczenie jest proste

820:6=137 -wynajecie wlasnego domu

300*6=1800 -ten sam dom ale wynajety przez agencje

wiec koszty mieszkania nie sa taki tanie jak sie mieszka w domu agencji

ja bylem w atlanco 0,5 roku i nie polecam bo czlowiek wyjerzdz zeby zarobic anie ledwo oszczedzac bo zycie w anglii nie jest tanie chyba ze komus nie zalerzy na pieniadzch.

warto zajrzec przed podpisaniem kontraktu.