Three people and two companies have been tried since Thursday in Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne) for having operated harvesters in 2023. “Some grapes are harvested by poor harvesters, but arrive in large bottles,” denounces the secretary general of CGT Champagne, José Blanco, Thursday on Franceinfo.
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In the midst of the “harvest of shame” trials, the secretary general of the CGT Champagne, José Blanco, denounces on Franceinfo Thursday, June 19 “Microcosm where everyone knew”.
Since Thursday morning, the Criminal Court of Châlons-en-Champagne (Marne), judges three people and two companies for “trafficking in human beings”, “concealed work” and “unworthy accommodation conditions”. The facts go back to the 2023 harvest, in Champagne. There are 57 victims in this file. Before the opening of the trial, the CGT organized a rally in court.
On Franceinfo, José Blanco says that the CGT denounces these practices “For years”. It also targets mayors: “They saw that there were slums in front of their municipalities “. The secretary general of the CGT Champagne requests a grape traceability : “Some grapes are harvested by poor harvesters, but arrive in large bottles.”
In this case, the 57 harvesters are undocumented African workers who were hosted in a house in the village of Nesle-le-Répons, in the Marne. Several of them evoke unworthy housing conditions, exhausting working days without break, as well as threats from employers. Some have never been paid.
