A Castrense marriage is arrested by the Spanish Police for crimes against the rights of workers. The investigation began on 29 May at the request of the Social Security Agency of Gipuzkoa and the Provincial Labour Inspectorate.

The workers were in charge of the surveillance of a herd and at the time of the inspection had four workers without a contract and without being affiliated with the Social Security. The workers informed the police that their working day was seven days and that they could not rest when they were sick. In addition, they stated that they were paid at the will of their superiors, between EUR 300 and 400.

The workers explained that they did not receive training on animal care. They worked with unprotected animals, so they were at risk of spreading diseases. They report that the owners knew that the workers had families in the countries of origin and that they had to send money. They stress that in this situation the workers were left to accept these precarious conditions.

The president of the cheese Idiazabal Designation of Origin, Félix Ajuria, and the Green Territorial Equilibrium deputy, Xabier Arruti, have reported that these types of situations are “unjustifiable” and do not “represent the reality of the primary sector”. Xabier Arruti said that “we have been working for a long time to ensure that working conditions in this sector are dignified, and we will not allow the image of Gipuzkoa’s cheesemakers, farmers and farmers to get dirty”. Ajuria stressed that they “clearly” defend the sustainability of the sector and that they also attach importance to the social part, “including respect for the decent working conditions of the owners of the farmhouses and their workers”.