scholarly journals Returning home empty handed: Examining how COVID-19 exacerbates the non-payment of temporary migrant workers’ wages

2021 ◽  
pp. 146801812110129
Author(s):  
Laura Foley ◽  
Nicola Piper
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
Labour Rights ◽  
Civil Society Organisations ◽  
Wage Theft ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Common Framework ◽  
Migration Corridor

The crisis unleashed by COVID-19 has profoundly impacted the world of work, with many workers losing their jobs or with insufficient safety measures in place for those still in work. Migrant workers are among the precarious workforce that is employed in particularly affected sectors where they have been subjected to labour rights’ violations for a long time. The pandemic has further exposed and exacerbated the exploitation of migrant workers in particular, as evident from the widespread occurrence of the non- or underpayment of wages for work that has been carried out. Despite the efforts made in recent years at the global level to arrive at a common framework to regulate international labour migration in accordance with international human and labour rights’ standards, little progress has been achieved on the issue of wage theft. This article analyses the reasons why the institutional architecture in place is ineffective to tackle the settlement of outstanding wage claims. We use the concept of access to justice as a starting point and steer our examination towards global advocacy as epitomised by a concerted campaign by an alliance between civil society organisations (CSOs) and global union confederations, which calls for the implementation of a justice mechanism for repatriated migrant workers. Our analysis is specifically centred on low-wage migrants on temporary, employer-tied contracts as illustrated by the South Asia–Middle East/Gulf migration corridor.

Pro-market governance, migration status and worker vulnerability: The case of Australian horticulture

2019 ◽  
pp. 0143831X1986175
Author(s):  
Diane van den Broek ◽  
Chris F Wright ◽  
Joanna Howe ◽  
Alexander Reilly
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Migrant Worker ◽  
Migration Status ◽  
Labour Rights ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Market Governance ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Worker Exploitation ◽  
Temporary Migrants

The migration status of temporary migrant workers is often presented as a major determinant of labour rights and worker vulnerabilities. Using a sequential mixed method approach this article interrogates this proposition to examine the factors exacerbating temporary migrant worker exploitation within the Australian horticulture industry. The article finds that temporary migrants’ access to labour rights are shaped by their migration status. However, in contrast to prevalent assumptions, visa conditions play a preliminary, rather than a deterministic, role in this vulnerability. The article argues that notwithstanding the considerable links between vulnerability and migration status, changes in the political economy of Australian horticulture towards neoliberal or ‘pro-market governance’ arrangements have been central drivers of worker vulnerability. It focuses on three manifestations of these arrangements – the intensification of supply chain pressures, the emergence of labour market intermediaries, and the reduced presence of trade unions – as critical actors shaping temporary migrant worker agency.

Employer theft of temporary migrant workers’ wages in Australia: Why has the state failed to act?

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Clibborn ◽  
Chris F Wright
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
The State ◽  
Temporary Migration ◽  
Jel Codes ◽  
Political Incentives ◽  
Recent Growth ◽  
Wage Theft ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Business Influence

Wage theft has emerged as a major problem for regulation of work in Australia. Yet, the state has done little to address the issue. In this context, this article considers why there has been recent growth in reported cases of underpayment of wages, particularly of temporary migrant workers, and why the state has failed to implement a strategy to adequately address this problem. The article examines the fragmented nature of employment regulation and visa categories constraining worker agency which, combined with widening avenues for temporary migration, have contributed to the underpayment problem. We also consider how conflicting imperatives of the state, business influence over the policy process and weak political incentives to address underpayment help to account for the state’s inaction. JEL Codes: J58, J61, J81

Migrant workers’ (non)belonging in rural British Columbia, Canada: storied experiences of Marginal Living

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Caxaj ◽  
Luis Diaz
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Program Planning ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
Mutual Support ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of belonging and wellbeing among temporary migrant agricultural workers (TMAWs) in a rural setting in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative narrative approach informed by participatory action research principles was employed. In total, 12 migrant workers participated in two to four one-on-one interviews and/or focus group conversations. Findings The analysis revealed an over-arching theme of Marginal Living encompassing stories of always on the outside, mechanisms of isolation and exclusion; struggling for the basics, realities of worrying about daily bare necessities; and “nothing but a worker’s,” experiences of being reduced only to one’s labor. These storied experiences each impacted workers’ wellbeing and typically limited their ability to feel a sense of belonging. Yet, workers exerted agency and resilience through storied experiences of “one family and for those who come next.” Their efforts contributed to building a sense of community through mutual support and advocacy. Originality/value Very few studies have focused on the day-to-day experiences of this population and its influence on their sense of belonging and wellbeing. This study is also the first to examine this topic within this particular region (the rural BC interior). These findings can provide a starting point for improved program planning to address challenges faced by TMAWs in rural Western Canada. Further, they expand the understanding of concepts such as partial citizenship and structural exclusion as they apply in the day-to-day realities of migrant workers in rural BC.

Inter‐ethnic and labour‐community coalitions in class struggle in Taiwan since the advent of temporary immigration

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Tierney
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Class Struggle ◽  
Community Coalitions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Labour Unions ◽  
Illegal Migrants ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Temporary Migrants

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the class dimensions of racism in Taiwan against temporary migrant workers and migrants' efforts to build inter‐ethnic and labour‐community coalitions in struggle against racism.Design/methodology/approachAn important source of data for this study were the unstructured interview. Between September 2000 and December 2005, more than 50 temporary migrants and their support groups in Taiwan were interviewed, specifically about migrants' experiences of racism and their resistance strategies. These interviews were conducted face‐to‐face, sometimes with the assistance of translators. Between 2001 and 2007, some 70 people were interviewed by telephone, between Australia and Taiwan.FindingsIn Taiwan, temporary migrants suffer the racism of exploitation in that capital and the state “racially” categorize them as suitable only for the lowest paid and least appealing jobs. Migrants also suffer neglect by and exclusion from the labour unions. However, migrants have succeeded, on occasions, in class mobilization by building powerful inter‐ethnic ties as well as coalitions with some labor unions, local organizations and human rights lobbies.Research limitations/implicationsThe research raises implications for understanding the economic, social and political conditions which influence the emergence of inter‐ethnic bonds and labour‐community coalitions in class struggle.Practical implicationsThe research will contribute to a greater appreciation among Taiwan's labour activists of the real subordination of temporary migrant labour to capital and of the benefits of supporting migrants' mobilization efforts. These benefits can flow not only to migrants but also to the labour unions.Originality/valueA significant body of academic literature has recently emerged on temporary and illegal migrants' efforts to engage the union movements of industrialized host countries. There is a dearth, however, of academic research on the capacity of temporary migrants to invigorate union activism in Asia, including Taiwan.

It Takes a Village: Civil Society Regulation of Employment Standards for Temporary Migrant Workers in Australian Horticulture

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Clibborn
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
System Level ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Employment Standards ◽  
State Employment ◽  
The Commons ◽  
Migrant Farm

How can civil society actors address regulatory deficiencies in complex systems? The challenge of regulating employment standards in non-unionised industries is shared by many developed countries. In industries like horticulture, violation of minimum employment standards for vulnerable temporary migrant workers is widespread and state employment regulators struggle to enforce laws. This article examines the challenge at a system level incorporating a range of civil society stakeholders. It conceptualises a regional town and its surrounding horticulture-dependent economy and society as a complex system in which stakeholders face the challenge of reputational damage among temporary migrant farm workers, threatening future labour supply. This ‘tragedy of the commons’ was created by some stakeholders acting solely in their individual interests by underpaying and otherwise mistreating the workers. Using a qualitative approach including 30 interviews, focusing on a single farming region in Queensland, Australia, this article identifies the conditions in which civil society stakeholders in a horticulture system regulate employment standards through orienting and connecting with one another to advance both individual and shared interests.

“It’s better I’m dead”: oppression and suicidal ideation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Reber
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Environmental Context ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
First Time

Purpose Anecdotal accounts of suicide among temporary low-wage migrant workers in the UAE are numerous, but unofficial and qualitative accounts remain unexplored. This study aims to examine how the socio-environmental context can lead some low-wage migrants, irrespective of their nationality or culture, to contemplate suicide for the first time after arriving in the host country. Design/methodology/approach The findings draw from ten months of qualitative fieldwork (2015–2016) and in-depth interviews conducted with 44 temporary migrant workers from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, earning in the lowest wage bracket in Dubai. The study used a non-probabilistic, purposive sampling approach to select participants. Three criteria drove eligibility: participants had to reside in the UAE, be non-national and earn Dh1500 (US$408) or less a month. Otherwise, diversity was sought in regard to nationality, occupation and employer. Findings Eight (18%) of the 44 study participants interviewed admitted to engaging in suicidal thoughts for the first time after arriving in the UAE. The findings suggest that for low-wage migrants working in certain socio-environmental contexts, the religious, gendered or other cultural or group characteristics or patterns that may be predictors of suicide in migrants’ country of origin may become secondary or possibly even irrelevant when one is forced to survive under conditions that by most objective standards would be deemed not only oppressive but extremely exploitative and abusive. Originality/value This study contributes to understandings of how the emotional and psychological well-being of temporary foreign low-wage migrant workers can be impacted by the socio-environmental context of the host country. It is a first step in understanding the intimate thoughts of low-wage migrant workers on the topic of suicidality, furthering our understanding of suicidal ideation and the factors that can contribute to it.

scholarly journals Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Pemilihan Tenaga Kerja Indonesia (TKI) Berdasarkan Kualitas Untuk Menentukan Tempat Kerja Menggunakan Metode Profile Matching (Studi Kasus: PT Adila Prezkifarindo Duta)

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Dasarius Gulo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Matching Method ◽  
Matching Process ◽  
Profile Matching ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Support Decision Making ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
The Ideal

In the process of selecting Indonesian Workers (TKI) based on quality at PT. Adila Prezkifarindo Duta is classified as still manual, where there is not yet a system for selecting quality migrant workers so it requires a long time for its assessment and the selection process is less effective. To support decision making in the selection of qualified Indonesian Workers (TKI) to make it easier by using a decision support system. One method used in the selection of qualified Indonesian Workers is the Profile Matching method. The profile matching method is a decision-making mechanism by assuming that there is an ideal level of predictor variables that must be met by applicants, rather than the minimum level that must be met or passed. In the profile matching process a process will be compared between individual competencies into standard competencies so that different competencies can be identified (also called Gap). The smaller the gap produced, the greater the weight value. In matching this profile, the selected TKI candidates are Indonesian Workers who are closest to the ideal profile of a qualified TKI.

scholarly journals Socialization of Online Passport Queue Service Application of the Directorate General of Immigration, Ministry of Law and Human Rights

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-15
Author(s):  
Gunawan Gunawan ◽  
Usman Mutaqin
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Migrant Workers ◽  
West Java ◽  
Considerable Potential ◽  
Directorate General ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Service Application

Passports have a role not only limited to the requirements to leave the territory of Indonesia, but the ownership of the passport  must be accounted for. The problem is often complained by many people in applying for a passport (the applicant) is the queue which takes a long time and feels complicated in implementation. Now the Directorate General of Implications of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights is innovating by creating an APAPO (Online Passport Queue Application). This application is expected to be an answer problems in applying for a passport for the applicant. This online passport registration is related to how operate the APAPO application, and see when the applicant's schedule can come to the nearest immigration office. This socialization was carried out in the Tasikmalaya region, West Java, bearing in mind that the Tasikmalaya area had a considerable potential of Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKI) and the Immigration Office in charge of several Cities and Regencies, including: Tasikmalaya District, Tasikmalaya City, Regencies Ciamis, Banjar City and Garut Regency which cover 108 (one hundred and eight) districts. Community Service regarding passport registration at the immigration office is by way of socialization regarding online passport registration with the following steps: (1) Financing the importance of passports for Indonesian citizens (2) Developing procedures for registering online passport queues (3) Training for opening applications online passport queue service. 

Conclusion

2019 ◽  
pp. 110-120
Author(s):  
Leah F. Vosko
Keyword(s):  
Migrant Workers ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Agricultural Worker ◽  
Work Program ◽  
Incremental Change ◽  
Migration Management ◽  
Legal Case ◽  
Temporary Migrant ◽  
Migrant Work

This concluding chapter reflects on the significance of the legal case of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) employeess at Sidhu & Sons for expanding understandings of the meaning of deportability and its applicability to temporary migrant work program (TMWP) participants laboring not only in Canada but also in other relatively high-income host states embracing migration management and the measures it prescribes. Obstacles to limiting deportability writ large will persist so long as migration management dominates paradigmatically. Nevertheless, in combination with the forward-looking organizing efforts already being undertaken by unions and worker centers, in areas where unionization is difficult to achieve partly because of the still-dominant Wagnerian-styled model of unionization, certain modest interventions in policy and practice hold promise in forging change and curbing deportability among temporary migrant workers. Because the foregoing case study focused on the SAWP, the alternatives outlined in this chapter primarily address this TMWP. Given, however, that the SAWP is often touted as a model of migration management, they seek to provide meaningful avenues toward incremental change in other TMWPs in Canada and elsewhere.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document