Migrant workers being exploited, says union

ROGUE employers are illegally charging migrant workers for processing their work permits, union officials claimed yesterday.

SIPTU officials also believe bosses are taking money out of workers’ pay packets without their knowledge.

The suspected scam follows reports that some bosses are illegally renting migrant workers out to other employers.

And it comes after news that a suspension has been placed on new work permits for lap dancers following complaints of exploitation and mistreatment in the booming industry.

“We’re investigating a place in Co Meath at the moment, where a deduction is being made from payroll in

respect of charging workers for employers processing their work permits,” said Mike Jennings of SIPTU.

“The pay take is completely unauthorised. We would argue that if you take unauthorised money from workers’ payroll it’s just as much theft as if you took it out of his pocket.”

He said that when they have gathered enough evidence they would report the matter to the gardaí. Under the scheme the employer, not the worker, owns the work permit and the worker cannot change jobs.

The scheme allows employers, unable to find workers in Ireland or the European Economic Area, to hire people from other countries.

Mr Jennings said SIPTU was also aware of bosses renting out their migrant workers to other employers.

“There was one case, again in Co Meath, where agricultural labourers were brought in for fruit picking and were passed on to local farmers as farm labourers, more or less sold on, completely contrary to the work permit. They were very badly treated by those farmers.”

Mr Jennings said there was on ongoing problem of employers deducting money from workers for accommodation and utility bills in mobile homes and caravans the bosses had supplied.

“Migrants are constantly told by employers that if they object they will be sacked, and if they are sacked they will be deported,” he said.

He called on the department to change the work permit system to a visa system, whereby the worker would own the work visa and could change employment.

A department spokesperson said employers were not allowed to charge workers for processing their work permits and must pay it themselves.

She said contracts were not transferable between employers and that any such action breached their contract with the department.

She called on anyone, including SIPTU, with information that an employer was breaching their contract or exploiting workers to notify the department.

The number of people on the scheme was grown from 6,200 in 1999 to 36,500 in 2001, with 27,700 so far this year.