In the pictures in a colorful brochure, smiling young people pose next to cattle and tractors. Through Jordbrukare-Ungdomens Förbund, JUF, young people from other countries are offered the chance to practice in Swedish agriculture. The brochure states that the intern becomes "part of the family" on the farm and must work a maximum of eight hours a day.
One of those who wanted to try the farming adventure in Sweden was Mykola from the town of Vinnytsia in central Ukraine.
Together with a friend, he had prepared for the trip, practiced his English and had been told that work on Swedish farms used to be well-organized, with reasonable working hours and good incomes.
So when Mykola came to a larger farm in central Sweden via JUF, the feeling was positive. Bondgården produces grain and milk, among other things, and a well-known ice cream manufacturer has talked about their collaboration in a campaign.
The testimony of Mykola and other interns is denied by the farm's owner, but the Ukrainian says his hopes for learning and practice were quickly dashed.
Instead of an eight-hour practice day according to JUF's guidelines, Mykola says that he and his friend had to work twelve hours straight, often longer. He tells us that they milked cows, looked after calves and performed all imaginable physical work that was available on the farm.
- It was very hard work, especially the night shift. It was heavy on the arms, on the body. Every muscle ached afterwards, everything hurt, says Mykola and says that during a twelve-hour shift they only had a break, for food.
Although the two young men told themselves they were strong enough to handle the work, they noticed how their bodies were rapidly changing. Mykola shows us a picture of himself from the farm, where he is feeding a cow in front of him. It is clearly visible how thin he is.
- I lost over 20 kilos in two months. My friend lost even more weight, he says.
After six months of toil on the farm in Central Sweden, Mykola and his friend had enough and returned to Vinnytsia. Mykola says that he then had problems with his stomach, rashes and other skin problems due to the stressful work situation in Sweden. According to Mykola, both he and his friend needed medical care to get back in shape.
A young man from Tanzania whom we can call John has a similar story. Just like Mykola, John came to the farm as an intern via JUF.
John is college-educated in agriculture and wanted to get a picture of large-scale farming.
- I was hoping for some paperwork and computer work. It was a little different…
He first worked as a milkman. According to John, the sessions started at four in the morning and he then had to stand on a hard surface for twelve hours straight. He tells us that it was only at lunch that he was allowed to rest.
- After just a few days, I felt pain in, among other things, my back, shoulders and chest.
John says he not only worked weekdays, but also many weekends. He talks about a harsh work environment, where the manager could shout at him and monitored the interns with a camera.
- If the boss saw on the camera that someone had been idle for a while, they could deduct hours from the salary.
John tells us that he then got a supervisory position on the farm, but still the same trainee salary. Since the internship is divided into three periods of six months, John explains that he and other interns did not dare to complain - then they would not be allowed to continue the next period.
DN has been in contact with several other people who came to the farm as trainees. Like Mykola and John, they testify to long shifts, hard work, supervision and incorrect pay.
Pelle Sunvisson, migrant organizer at the trade union branch SAC, says that there have often been 10-15 foreign interns on the farm. He shows a settlement from this year where the union was able to claim back a total of close to ten million kroner to agricultural workers.
- There has been no organized practice there. Some parts of the farm's operations have been completely managed by interns, he says.
He says that union-affiliated interns on the farm work the right hours after the settlement, but that interns are still treated badly.
Pelle Sunvisson explains that the problem of exploited, foreign interns is widespread. In exactly the same way as on the farm where Mykola and John worked, SAC has pursued or will pursue cases of trainees on six other farms. It concerns, among other things, a vegetable farm where interns worked long shifts spraying without protection and a flower farm where interns worked overtime without receiving either salary or overtime compensation.
- There are several farms where the entire operation has been managed by interns, he says.
DN also talks to a young intern from Uganda, who tells us that he was responsible for all milking on a farm in south-eastern Sweden. The man says he has worked long shifts during nights and weekends and still only received internship pay.
- They take advantage of their enormous dominance. The interns must line up and work nights and always be available. It is an approach to people that is terrible, says Pelle Sunvisson.
The owner of the farm where Mykola and John worked firmly denies interns' claims of long shifts, fear, camera surveillance and wrong pay.
- They have always received money. They have been allowed to work as much as they have wanted. The overtime compensation was not included at first, but is regulated afterwards in union negotiations.
They say they worked twelve-hour shifts.
- No, they have worked ten hours. The reason they had to work more was because they wanted to.
The owner of the farm says that camera surveillance is used for security reasons, to see if anything happens to the animals.
The interns say they worked, not had a real internship.
- It's clear they get to learn things, that's why they've had to come here. And there have been no complaints in the meantime.
They say that they did not dare to complain in order to continue the practice.
- It is clear that they can complain. If it's relevant, it's relevant.
Magdalena Birgersdotter, acting union secretary at Jordbrukare-Ungdomens Förbund, says that she has only received a few occasional indications of problems for interns.
But we have spoken to several interns who worked much more than they should, who felt taken advantage of when they did heavy work without extra pay. Do you recognize that picture?
- Overall, I absolutely do not recognize that image. Most of our intern hosts care deeply about their interns and see them as part of their family.
