Dutch MP Thierry Aartsen (VVD) discusses the issue of labor migration in an opinion piece published in a Dutch newspaper. He advocates less and different labor migration, focusing on highly productive labor migrants, innovation, and added value. Moreover, he finds that labor migration should be less of a "burden" on society.
The piece was widely picked up in the media, and is also of interest to the horticulture sector, which is still heavily dependent on labor migrants
Is robotization advanced enough?
The piece indicates that party VVD wants to limit labor migration and that the Dutch political party is committed to innovation and robotization. On NPO Radio 1, Professor Ton Wildhagen of Tilburg University, critically commented on the plans on Monday afternoon. According to him, the VVD's vision on labor migration offers no alternative for migrant workers in horticulture and slaughterhouses, which are still heavily dependent on these workers.
According to Wildhagen, the VVD assumes that robots and AI are a solution. He finds that robots and AI on labor currently have a limited effect on productivity. He even sees that labor productivity is declining in the Netherlands. In the short term, robots do not yet offer a solution, according to the professor. Therefore, curbing migrant labor would be the alternative. According to him, the VVD does not really choose. Scarcity is choosing, he argues. He means that it could be decided that certain sectors have no future in the Netherlands.
(The radio fragment is available here, from minute 47 onwards)
Measures to curb labor migration could make the Netherlands less competitive. That was revealed last week by a survey published in economics journal ESB. "Half of all companies in the Netherlands employ at least one foreign worker," Professor of Innovation Henk Volberda of the University of Amsterdam told BNR.
More expensive migrant workers?
LTO Nederland (the Netherlands Agricultural and Horticultural Association) also responded to the piece, saying it is in favor of robotization and automation. "We urge the cabinet to heavily invest in these fields. Aggravating employer charges in agricultural sectors without any alternatives must be avoided because it is no solution." LTO also calls on the cabinet to address other negative effects on labor migration. According to LTO, housing labor migrants at agricultural businesses can make an important contribution to reducing occupancy problems.
According to LTO, the VVD vision document implies that the premiums that employers pay on the wages of labor migrants may eventually increase, making it more expensive to employ them. "In a sector where earning capacity is under severe pressure and labor shortages are the order of the day, that would be the wrong solution. The government should invest in real solutions by increasing the pace of innovation and making technological investments profitable. This is how we invest in future-proof and competitive agriculture and horticulture."
Index photo: test harvest robot tomatoes Four Growers, this spring at Syngenta. Archive GroentenNieuws