Migrant workers fear raising complaints - inquest

Migrant workers are often afraid to raise complaints about their employment, an inquest into the death of an employee has heard.

Seasonal farmworker, George Michael Monte De Ramos Castrudes, 37, died in 2025 after a fire he lit to keep warm at La Valette nursery, in Jersey, got out of control.

The Filipino national was employed by the Blake family on a nine-month seasonal work contract. His inquest is looking at whether his money struggles and immigration status contributed to his death.

On Thursday, a manager from Jersey's customs service told the inquest a "commonly heard concern" from migrant employees was a fear that raising complaints could compromise job status. The inquest continues.

Senior manager with Jersey Customs and Immigration Service (JCIS) Andrew Allan told the hearing the island's work permit policy required employees to "live in accommodation of a standard which supports their health and wellbeing".

He said the onus for providing this was on the employer. He confirmed JCIS did not collect any information about this in a permit application and did not do routine checks on the standards of accommodation.

He admitted JCIS ran a "reactive system" but said any issues would be investigated and dealt with, and cited a "small number" of complaints about worker accommodation he had been involved with.

When asked by the coroner whether there were any challenges for employees bringing complaints to JCIS, Allan said there "may be a concern that they might in some way compromise their job".

He said the service encouraged people to come forward and reassured workers that any genuine complaints would "not in anyway compromise their immigration status".

Allan confirmed no complaints had been made to JCIS about Castrudes' accommodation.

On Wednesday, an environmental health officer told the inquest that Castrudes' accommodation was "unacceptable" because it was so cold which rendered it "unfit for human habitation".

Robert Cragg said the fire report into the incident suggested there was not enough heating in Castrudes' cabin and it would have been "impossible" to heat in a cost-efficient way.

Castrudes died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a make-shift fire he lit to keep warm got out of control.

Giving evidence at the hearing on Thursday, Jane Rueb from Jersey Farmers' Union (JFU) explained that it organised and signed Castrudes' work permit application on behalf of La Valette.

She said the JFU works with a Philippine-based recruitment agency, Diamond H, to facilitate contracts with new and returning seasonal workers.

The inquest heard that representatives from the agency would visit the island at least once a year to look at farms and the standard of accommodation for workers.

However, they did not visit La Valette when it first started hiring Filipino employees due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.

A representative from Diamond H joined the inquest via video link and confirmed she had not seen the accommodation at La Valette.

Rueb said all farmworkers were advised to go to their employer if they had any complaints but if they were "timid and worried" they could contact the agency.

She said the JFU had resolved two complaints about accommodation in recent years but it never received any complaints about La Valette.

She said the fact 90% of Filipino farmworkers returned to Jersey suggested they had "few issues".

Responding to a question from Castrudes' sister Grace, Rueb confirmed that the portable cabin accommodation her brother was living in was "gradually being phased out across the industry".

Rueb added that the JFU was waiting on the findings of the inquest to update its guidance to farms on providing accommodation.

The guidelines currently include a provision for "adequate measures taken to protect the occupants in case of a fire", such as a fire extinguisher, working fire alarm and fire blanket.

The inquest continues and is due to conclude on Friday.

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