France: students, new seasonal harvesters

Audio 01:18

Students are replacing Polish seasonal workers in the harvest this year because of the coronavirus (photo illustration). ALAIN JULIEN

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

The 2020 harvest began a few weeks in advance because of the hot weather. So this year the seasonal workforce is a little different. In the rows of vines at Domaine de Verret, in Burgundy, students pick grapes. 

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Kneeling in the earth, Jeanne is busy cutting the bunches as quickly as possible to finish her row before the next downpour. The communication student is harvesting for the first time. "  This is an opportunity to play sport before the start of the school year also because after confinement we need it, it feels good to go out, get some fresh air especially before returning to Paris  ".

Students rather than seasonal Polish workers

Out of 22 seasonal workers hired this year, 14 are students. Maël takes advantage of the early harvest to have a salary before the start of the school year. “  I stay for two weeks. Everyone is in a good mood. It is not that complicated. I was expecting worse when we told me about it, it's not easy but we try to be careful with the finger and it goes by itself,  ”he explains.

Usually, the estate welcomes Polish seasonal workers for the harvest, but with the coronavirus, they could not come. "  There are a lot of students who have looked for work and usually, we start rather early September so we have no students and we have a little more trouble finding people  ", notes Clémence Verret, in charge of recruitment.

Young people are not the only beginners. Unemployed for 6 months, Céline, 42, has her head down on the vine. “  This is the first time. I have just finished a secretarial training but now I have to work. I found that there were fewer offers in my field given the health situation  ”. Céline has therefore signed up for three weeks of harvest, and in September she hopes to find a job in her field.

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  • France
  • Agriculture and Fishing

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