Exploiting workers - Boycott the shameful parasites

MOST of us want to believe that we live in a fairly decent society where the rights of everyone are respected.

We like to believe that the vulnerable among us are protected by the strong.

Most of us rest easy in our beds imagining that our culture’s inherited decency remains strong enough to ensure that the disadvantaged are not preyed upon by immoral employers. Certainly most of us would be angry if we felt that immigrants faced the same kind of exploitation that our forefathers endured when they were forced to seek a new life in another country.

We believe, or maybe it’s just easier for us to imagine, that by having laws in place to protect the rights of society and individuals that all is well. Too often we don’t ask if these laws are being effectively policed. It is unlikely that we ever ask ourselves if such legislation in anything more substantial than well-meaning tokenism.

Monday night’s Prime Time Investigates programme on RTÉ, into the exploitation of immigrants, put an end to all of those delusions. Once again this flagship programme shone a light into the dark corners of our society and revealed practices that bring shame on us all. It was public service broadcasting at its best.

The programme uncovered appalling exploitation,especially by some haulage companies. It reported flagrant disregard for the safety of drivers and other road users by unscrupulous haulage managers who insisted that drivers continue to work despite having already driven more than is legally permissible.

So damming was the evidence that yesterday the president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, Jimmy Quinn, felt it appropriate to “temporarily vacate” his position.

In another instance a Brazilian cafe worker had to fight for months to get wages he had earned. The wages were paid within two days of the cafe’s management being approached by Prime Time Investigates.

Elsewhere it showed how employers exploited the inexperience of immigrant workers to evade tax.

How many more workers in similar positions are left helpless and alone because they do not have powerful forces to intervene on their behalf?

Disturbing through the evidence was, the statement from Kieran Mulvey, chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission, that when he saw the exploitation uncovered that he felt shamed. Mr Mulvey is a vastly experienced and widely respected labour relations professional, hard-nosed and objective. When he admits to feeling shamed by the actions of greedy, exploitative and dishonest employers we should all take notice.

It was also pointed out that these employers make it very difficult for honest, decent firms who observe the law and give decent pay and conditions to compete.

What it also revealed was the pathetic level of policing of labour and road safety laws. Basically, anyone who imagines that the state will confront employers to stop these practices is delusional.

We have a well-established tradition of enacting legislation but not bothering to enforce it. The awful plight of some of these workers not only highlights the greed in our society but also our hypocrisy.

By supporting firms who exploit immigrants or any employees you are endorsing unacceptable practices.

As ever the most important vote you have is in your pocket. Boycott these parasites.