The Chinese Berry Pickers Paradox

Bravo, Chinese Berry Pickers in Sweden for your fight for the Democratic principles of fair play and labor rights while the Swedish Employers with what appears to be the backing of Swedish politicians are actually doing the opposite and behaving in a Totalitarian manner. Strange world isn't it? People from that terrible land that refuses to recognize human rights fighting for human rights in a land that openly speaks about defending these rights while at the same time doing the opposite.

Turns out that the Berry Pickers were imported from China, Vietnam, and the Ukraine this year and at least the Chinese workers had a bit of a mini revolt. The Swedish Employers have hired them through Employment Agencies in the workers homeland. Is this to get around the labor laws in Sweden? Is this a common practice today in this modern and Democratic Land?

Last year the Employers imported workers from Thailand and had work conditions similar to those in 19th Century America or Europe. The Thai workers revolted also with demonstrations and marches as was done this year. The Government and the Employers played a shell game so that neither would take responsibility for this unethical treatment of these foreign workers. The result was that the Thai workers were cheated out of wages and their government finally sent over airplanes to pick them up and take them home.

The government promised the workers a base salary of 17,700 sek a month. The Swedish Crown is a little over 7 per USD. You do the math. When I first saw this my reaction was, yea, sure, lots of luck getting your salaries paid. Turns out I may very well been correct in my assessment of the situation.

Now it appears that history has repeated itself. The Chinese are protesting and have had marches and a small group has locked their Swedish Supervisors into a room in a Berry Warehouse. Shame on them for speaking up as is their right in a democratic land. They were arrested by the way.

So, Bravo Chinese Berry Pickers for the good fight for ethical and honest labor practices and not taking this lying down. Reminds me of the Labor Revolts in America in the late 18th century, but on a smaller scale. How can this be? Workers from that terrible oppressive Totalitarian State defending democratic principles? A paradox indeed.

Thank you, Chinese workers. You have done Sweden a great favor by fighting the good fight that many here are afraid to become engaged in. There are only a few speaking up, mainly on the Internet and they have been branded as terrible and dangerous people and given the label of being members of the Truth Movement by representatives of the Swedish Government. Since when has Truth become a bad word. Another paradox perhaps?

Thank you too, Swedish Company owners and politicians for exposing the corruption and hypocracy that is growing in Modern Day Sweden. You have been far more effective that your Truth Movement youth in exposing the lies and myths of the image of a Swedish Model that you like to project out into the non Swedish speaking world.

Looks like your actions now speak louder than your words.