Immigrant workers ‘shamefully exploited’

IMMIGRANT workers are being shamefully exploited because their knowledge of their rights is totally inadequate, the Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) said yesterday.

In a bid to counter confusion and fill knowledge gaps the ICI spent the past 12 months putting together the first handbook on immigrants’ rights and entitlements in Ireland.

The 265-page handbook, launched yesterday by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Coughlan, also marked an important milestone in the council’s fight for the rights of immigrants.

In the past four years, 100,100 work permits were issued to immigrants from outside the European Union. Many are also accompanied by their wives and families.

The demand for the handbook has already been underlined by the 300-plus orders received from community information centres, Government departments, non-governmental organisations and State organisations working with immigrants before it was even published.

ICI founder and chairperson Sister Stanislaus Kennedy said the council’s centre in Dublin recorded a 140% increase (and still rising) in calls for help in the four months since its formal opening. Staff have, to date, helped people from 69 countries.

Sr Stan referred to the case of a Romanian national with an employment permit who was working 48 hours a week but was only being paid for 40 hours. The man wanted to change jobs but feared he risked being deported if he did.

The ICI told him he could change jobs if he found an employer willing to apply for a permit for him. He did and later rang the council to say he was now working in a better environment.

A Bangladeshi national who had been working in a Dublin hotel for two years as a chef on an employment permit told the ICI he was being

bullied by the head chef, and despite his complaints nothing was being done to stop his humiliating and inhumane experience.

The ICI said he could seek redress through the Equality Tribunal and/or the Labour Court. He has initiated a case and is awaiting the outcome. In the meantime he has moved onto another job.

“It’s clear that some immigrants are given no information, others are given incomplete information and others again are given inaccurate and incorrect information. Worst of all, some are given misleading information,” said Sr Stan.

What was really needed, however, was a comprehensive and coherent immigration legislation based on a policy that is fair and humane.

“What we have is a very complex system of ad-hoc responses to specific immigration issues that is very difficult to comprehend and is continually changing,” she said.

Sr Stan also wants the Government to ratify the new UN convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers that came into effect on Monday. It has been ratified by 22 countries but no EU countries are among them.

The handbook has been substantially funded by the Department of Social and family Affairs, together with the Religious Sisters of Charity and Comhairle.

Inquiries about the handbook can be directed to the Immigrant Council of Ireland, 42 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1. Tel [phone]