Italy's immigrant farm workers treated like slaves.
Dec 21st, 2008, 02:34 AM
#21
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The issue is often one of passing the buck on responsibility, especially when there's short-term harvesting work to be done - sub-contracting to more than level of sub-contractor. Some particularly grim events in the UK led to an increase in regulation and enforcement of controls on "gangmasters", and we do hear of examples of such people being sent to prison. But it all comes down to how much people are prepared to pay in higher prices (where these things are happening in otherwise legitimate industries), and higher taxes to pay for more inspectors and enforcers.
Dec 21st, 2008, 03:38 AM
#22
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nona1 wrote: "That's a different situation altogether.
No-one chooses to be raped. They are choosing to work where they should't."
The situations are not always that different. Many women who come to prosperous countries to work find themselves coerced or forced into prostitution.
In effect, you are suggesting that some types of ill-treatment are acceptable, but others are not. How do you draw the line?
Law generally prescribes the minimum rights of the individual. If you establish as a principle that those in a country illegally should not have an entitlement to such minimum rights, then you set up a very dangerous situation.
The way to deal with somebody living in a country illegally is to deport that person; the way to deal with somebody working illegally is to stop that person working. An appropriate punitive measure like imprisonment might be justified. But they still should have the basic rights that society considers to be the minimum.
No-one chooses to be raped. They are choosing to work where they should't."
The situations are not always that different. Many women who come to prosperous countries to work find themselves coerced or forced into prostitution.
In effect, you are suggesting that some types of ill-treatment are acceptable, but others are not. How do you draw the line?
Law generally prescribes the minimum rights of the individual. If you establish as a principle that those in a country illegally should not have an entitlement to such minimum rights, then you set up a very dangerous situation.
The way to deal with somebody living in a country illegally is to deport that person; the way to deal with somebody working illegally is to stop that person working. An appropriate punitive measure like imprisonment might be justified. But they still should have the basic rights that society considers to be the minimum.
Dec 21st, 2008, 03:57 AM
#23
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nona1, even if you don't care for these folks out of basic human compassion, you should care that the employers that are allowed to exploit these workers are breaking the laws and hurting those of their competitors that obey the laws, and legal immigrants and Italians that might otherwise work these jobs.
