Employment Conditions and Labor Vulnerability of Migrant Agricultural Workers in Spain: An Analysis from a Professional Perspective

Abstract

This article analyzes the perspectives of key informants in the social, labor, and healthcare sectors on the contractual conditions of migrant agricultural workers in Spain. In 2021, 87 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 92 experts, focusing on recruitment from the country of origin, fixed-discontinuous contracts, and the use of Temporary Employment Agencies (TEAs). The findings show that these hiring modalities do not mitigate labor precariousness but rather reinforce the economic and social vulnerability of workers. The study identifies deeply unbalanced labor relations, where the power of employers, supported by their economic and political influence, enables the imposition of abusive conditions, non-compliance with collective agreements, and restricted access to labor rights. From a labor relations and public policy perspective, the study calls for a reassessment of current hiring models and the strengthening of regulatory mechanisms to ensure greater stability and social protection for migrant agricultural workers.