The Art of Migrant Exploitation

national | racism & migration related issues | opinion/analysis

Thursday April 28, 2005 22:23

by Fergus - "get out of the box"

'Migrant Workers - The Hidden Scandal',
Not 'the official minutes'. Selected moments that made an impact from the talk hosted by Comhlámh Held at Tigh Fili, Cork in the middle of an art exhibition.

Somewhere lines blurred
And borders were crossed.

The Work Permit.
Another market-driven system.
Migrants taken for granted.
Branded, stamped
As 'units of labour'
Passported for 1 year
In the name of the employer.
Kept quiet under the fear of 'Bonded labour'.

‘You see, I’m a man of substance; I’m in the slave trade; I deal in black flesh.’ Can you imagine anyone today making it known publicly that such is his business? What a scandal ! I can hear my Parisian colleagues right now. They are adamant on the subject; they won’t hesitate to launch two or three manifestoes, maybe even more ! And on reflection, I’d add my own signature to theirs. Slavery? – certainly not, we are against it ! That we should be forced to have it in our homes or in our factories – well, that’s natural; but boasting about it, that’s the limit !
I am well aware that one can’t get along without dominating or being served. Every man needs slaves as he needs fresh air. Commanding is breathing – you agree with me? And even the most destitute manage to breathe. The lowest man in the social scale still has his wife or his child. If he’s unmarried, a dog. The essential thing, after all, is being able to get angry with someone who has no right to answer back.
...Somebody has to have the last word. Otherwise, every reason can be met with another one and there would never be an end to it. Power, on the other hand, settles everything. It took time, but we finally realized that. For instance, you must have noticed that our old Europe at last philosophizes in the right way. We no longer say as in simple times : ‘This is my opinion. What are your objections?’ We have become lucid. For the dialogue we have substituted the communique. 'This is the truth,' we say. 'You can discuss it as much as you want; we aren't interested. But in a few years there'll be the police to show you I'm right.'
...Just between ourselves, slavery, preferably smiling, is therefore inevitable. But we must not admit it. Isn't it better that whoever cannot do without having slaves should call them free men? As a matter of principle to begin with, and, secondly, not to drive them to despair. We owe them that compensation, don't we? In that way, they will continue to smile and we shall maintain our good conscience. Otherwise, we'd be obliged to reconsider our opinion of ourselves; we'd go mad with suffering, or even become modest - for anything might happen.

Taken from 'The Fall'
by Albert Camus.

The Domestication of Migrant Workers
Report : 'Private Homes a Public Concern'
The Phillipino nanny (MSc.) - an object, a 'unit of labour', a symbol of middle-class status
and childcare on the cheap.
A huge economic growth area, exploitation unregulated.
Kept quiet under the fear of 'Bonded labour'.

Exploitation of agri-workers.
Gang-Masters of Morcambe Bay.
Sometimes prosecuted for avoiding tax
Nonetimes prosecuted for migrant workers-rights violations.

Nasc reported violations to the Irish Labour Inspectorate. (1 inspector of 21)
But was ignored, told migrants "are not as vulnerable as you think."
The Irish Labour Inspectorate also neglect themselves. A Irish Labour Inspectorate Report remains buried.
Recommendations ignored.

Self-deception?
Or political will?

http://www.comhlamh.org

Migrants Rights Centre Ireland
http;//www.mrci.ie

Independent Workers Union, 55 North Main St, Cork
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=64003

Nasc - The Irish Immigrant Support Centre, St Marie's of the Isle, Sharman Crawford St, Cork City. iisc@eircom.net

On arrival home the object sits in the kitchen, it may be rotated occasionally and looked at from different angles. Then a decision has to be made, does it go further into the house, maybe the front room for further analysis, to be looked at while watching the TV, placed on the floor for a few days, or must it re-enter the charity shop, excluded from the suitcases and boxes of objects around my house.
Taken from 'Objects', a show of new work by Jon Milton

And what about prosecuting the supermarkets that profit from cheap produce?

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Comments (12 of 12)

Smash Bonded Labour

by F

Thu May 12, 2005 23:46

Emancipation Not Domestication

Migrant Nannies Unite!

Exploited and Exported

Thu Aug 18, 2005 15:57

The Migrants Rights Centre said the exploitation of migrant workers in the private home is widespread and growing in Ireland.
It said that just yesterday 2 cases involving Filipinas came to its attention in Co. Waterford.

These cases are similar to the case reported in todays Irish Times:

A Filipino, who was employed as a nanny has lodged papers with the Labour Relations Commission.

She alleges she was made to work 7 days a week, for an average wage of 22 cent per hour...

She was not allowed to leave the house of her employers (a Leinster-based couple) except to shop for the family in a local shop and to bring one of the children to and from school.

She claims her passport was taken and held by her employer...

After seeking assistance from the Philippines honorary consul in Ireland; he composed a letter for the nanny to give to her employer to ask about pay and conditions.

She did this the next day and was brought to the airport the following day to be sent back to the Middle East.

A date for the hearing is likely to be set sometime in the next 3 months.

Migrant staff in €32 a week pay claim.

by Daily Mirror, Sat 20th Aug, 2005, Page 26

Sat Aug 20, 2005 14:04

10 foreign housekeepers yesterday claimed they were being exploited in Irish homes.
The women have lodged complaints with the Migrants Rights Centre.
The MRC said there was a “constant flow of people employed in private homes” making complaints about low wages.

INTEL DISCRIMINATION

by RATHER NOTSAY

Thu Sep 22, 2005 06:45

RANDY1 at ROCK dot COM

IRELAND

I have worked at Intel for five years and I find this discrimination is carried out on Non EU qualified workers aswell.Intel is supposed to be a Multicultural and Diverse work place.But built into the system is discriminating tool, where the supervisors and upper management are able to pick on employees and restrict their movents by giving negative reports .The employee has to sign this supervisors form, then suffer the no increase at the end of the year , even being sick for a day is used against you.I personally have challenged this , but have been ear marked so I am excluded from any promotions or recognitions even though I qualify for management through past work experience and qualifications, because i have been given negative feedback, and this continues year in and year out. I have spoken to many non EU nationals and everyone has this experience.From 150 non EU nationals there are only 20 left because of the discrimination, prejudice, and favoritism.Its like working in a jail, where micro-management takes place and this even restricts you down to forced labour like working in a sweat shop.

Tell Someone Who Cares

by Mark C - Teacher

Thu Sep 22, 2005 11:12

mark at markconroy dot net

You really should bring that case to some labour court or some other statutory body that is employed to deal with this sort of grievance.

Mark.

labhairt amach

by Duine

Thu Sep 22, 2005 14:38

Tagaim le mark anseo.
Bhí an dúshaothrú riamh ann, drochbhainistíocht, leathcheal, brú is imeaglú.
Is mithid labhairt amach .

BEWARE OF INTEL ,NON EU WORKERS

by VERY

Sun Sep 25, 2005 18:24

AOME at EIRCOM dot NET

LEIXLIP

FACE Intel’s sample survey showed that commonly employees that have 6 years of service and more, e.g., 90% of employees that were terminated or forced to leave are 40 years or older, or those who develop a disability, or those who are outspoken. Discriminating managers (racial, ethnic, gender, etc.) are using this unjust policy as a weapon to satisfy their prejudice and hatred.

These predatory practices can be exerted successfully, if we allow it to. This kind of behavior becomes a common practice for a company to victimize it’s employees for more and more profit. Employees who are naïve about their labor rights allow these wrong-doings to be committed against them. They are also further brainwashed by a facade that has nothing to do with reality. We get so wrapped up with working long and hard just to survive, and practically kill ourselves to contribute to the success of the company, and in return are subjected to de-humanizing mandates.

You must be aware of this degrading policy and practice, because as human beings we all have a breaking point. This mind manipulation can put your life at great risk, by destroying you emotionally, mentally and financially. Intel’s single minded Wall Street approach totally dehumanizes the side that existed in earlier years. We hope and pray that the executives at Intel will allow their human spirit to thrive again, because money can’t buy it, and technology cannot create it.

THE REAL QUESTION IS

Mon Sep 26, 2005 21:26

So you say that if a Non EU employee, approaches the Irish management (there isnt any other) then the outcome will be fair and above board. Just recently I saw a person get undue negative feed back for his mid year focal, the reason behind this is because they dont want him to leave the area .
Its a known fact that if someone is below expectations then the area they are trying get to will reject them. So there is this hidden plot of case forming, which prevents you getting further, unless you are the golden child of Ireland.

Utter Discrimination

by Blueeyes - Techgroup ireland

Mon Apr 24, 2006 19:46

I have worked for Techgroup ireland for 5 years and not had any prospective promotions . My pay has not changed a great deal , and non EU workers are significantly underpaid . They are even asked to do skilled jobs on the same low salaries , with promises of promotion.This company is a sweatshop where african people are given all the demeaning jobs and treated like they are extremely dispensible . Help u God!..............If you are non EU and trying to get employment here,......

utter nonsense

by elspeth

Mon Apr 24, 2006 21:37

Obviously hundreds of thousands of Eastern Europeans are flooding into Ireland because they want nothing better than to gripe about how they are exploited. The idea that they are able to command wages several times greater than they would get at home has nothing to do with it.

Ditto for non-EU nationals, who come here to avail of the opportunity to complain about both exploitation and racial discrimination.

These people are not political refugees. If conditions here are not to their liking they can go back to their homeland paradises.

The real people with real complaints, and the people to whom Irish politicians are responsible, are our own people - particularly those at the bottom of the pile who are seeing their job-security and working-conditions heading south because of the effects of a plentiful supply of cheap foreign labour.

They cannot go 'home'. Come to think of it, they cannot afford homes.

Thank you elspeth

by a

Tue Apr 25, 2006 14:14

My eye's have been opened by your intellect. Immigrants should be grateful to us if they come into this country and are treated like shit. Sure weren't Irish people treated like shit when they went abroad to work. And thanks to elspeth I now realise that we shouldn't learn from our own emigrants experience, we should just exploit immigrants and treat them like crap. Forget the cost of emigrating and the increase in homelessness for eastern europeans in Ireland, the fact that many can't afford to even go home, they should be grateful for the scraps we give them. Forget that our economy needs immigration and that we should treat people with humanity and respect, these people are just ingrates if they complain about their situation. And elspeth, thank you for explaining about people's working conditions heading south because of immigration, and not because of greedy employers and the process of globalisation. Don't give us any evidence please, I believe you 100% because you have displayed such fantastic reasoning and such brilliant intellect (are you a member of Mensa?). And then to seal it all you have the brilliant comment about housing. You didn't need to include this as you had me convinced from the first sentence. I had originally thought that that was the governments fault by not meeting the recommendations of the NESC in regards to building over 70,000 houses before 2012 and instead building less than half becuase dear old brian cowen doesn't want the prices of property to drop (FF look after their property developer friends again!). But now I am convinced that its the immigrants fault.

Dearest elspeth please sign me up to your newsletter and organisation. I will be a humble supporter obeying the wishes of such a magnificent and reasoned intellectual heavyweight leader such as yourself. I could help write your newsletter. Here are some topics we could write about.
1. Immigrants are destroying our national monuments - not the government.
2. Immigrants involved in corrupt planning in Dublin in the 1980's and not corrupt politicians
3. Immigrants to blame for the weather
4. Finally we could have a sports column and in it we can blame the immigrants for Ireland not qualifying for the world cup.

I await your instructions my superior master.

Response to Schizophrenic

by BLUETOOTH - Work for ireland

Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:37

I now meet the Schizophrenic disorder.
Comment
"we should just exploit immigrants and treat them like crap "

I don't think you or your associations have the intellect to do so or not do so , it is because of your lame inferiority that you have to have Foreigners working your country into a better position.Just remember that its because of your inabilities that you immigrated to other countries , and seems you still have the lack of matter between your ears.Since you came out from under the British you haven't archived anything but hollow words and excuses.
Comment
"they should be grateful for the scraps we give them"

The only reason they are here is because the didn't see the exploitation coming,you probably find that they were deceived by enticing words which in comparison to the same words if referring to a better country would mean something different.They have lived here and seen that the level at which the "Professional" here carries on is probably a very low level in comparison with USA, AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AFRICA, UK, GERMANY, FRANCE, etc.Hence the "Scraps" are truly scraps indeed. But you wouldn't know as mentioned above.

Comments

"Immigrants are destroying our national monuments - not the government"

You should look closer home just like your last cigarette but, you tossed out your window or on the floor out side the pub.

"Immigrants involved in corrupt planning in Dublin in the 1980's and not corrupt politicians".

Don't blame immigrants for your inability.

"Finally we could have a sports column and in it we can blame the immigrants for Ireland not qualifying for the world cup".

Blame yourself, as you still don't have the ability to get there, "How many more years? 100years
dream on.

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The Art of Migrant Exploitation

Comments (12 of 12)