Comments on: Tricked into a Guest Worker Program

By: AfroDesiAc

AfroDesiAc — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:56:30 +0000

I was told that if you’re a contractor (most likely in these jobs) the tax rate on your contract is 50% — not sure if that’s true so even allowing for the 1850 per week, lop off half to get the after-tax take-home pay. Just my $.02 folks…

By: The Jolly Bengali

The Jolly Bengali — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:19:23 +0000

This is quite sad. I had no idea that South Asians came here as guest workers, not that exploitative working conditions are any worse when South Asians are involved. Thanks for sharing this.

By: terence

terence — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 19:48:39 +0000

How apropos that this was written yesterday. I went to the screening of "A Dream in Doubt" last night at the Asian American Film Festival in San Francisco, and they play a short film called "Someone Else's War", which took a good look a similar situation with immigrant workers in Iraq, employed by Halliburton. Was an excellent movie, and if you can find it screened near you, I encourage you to check it out. (side note..."A Dream in Doubt" about the murders of Sodhi brothers after 9/11 was excellent too)

By: naina

naina — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:59:27 +0000

$1850 a WEEK?! Thats $96,200/year! Even making being "slashed down" to $950 a week still gets you $49,400/year. There has to be some kind of typo.

Check the article yourself -- I copied this quote word for word.

The "slave" conditions aren't just in reference to pay. Consider the following factors collectively: 1. Going into $15,000 in debt to get here. (FYI, that goes a long way for some people in India.) 2. Forced into living in filthy accommodations. 3. Getting fired for voicing criticism. 4. Not being able to find another job that pays the same amount because of guest worker provisions.

When you have to go into debt to get a job, get locked into that job, can't voice criticism or quit, and you fear having to face your debtors when you go back to India, then yes, it is a form of servitude IMO. Do you know how hard it is to earn back $15,000 on Indian wages as a welder or pipe fitter?

By: Ananya

Ananya — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:52:34 +0000

The Hindu carried the story with a different headline. Also a good backgrounder for the story is a recent report released by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

By: Neal (with no 'e')

Neal (with no 'e') — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:42:50 +0000

yep, and this would lead also to unfettered blowing up of buildings acros the country, which would enable a spurt in engineering and construction - we have a winner here!!

Actually, has anyone ever proven links between illegal immigration and terrorism? The 9/11 hijackers were here legally, weren't they? From a purely strategic perspective it wouldn't make much sense to go this way. If you're interested in doing the really heinous bad shit, why give authorities ANY technical reason to check you out? I've always thought this was more of a rhetorical red herring than a genuine concern (but I know I could be wrong).

By: coach diesel

coach diesel — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:35:37 +0000

Can someone please tell me if debt here ($15,000 to Signal's recruiters) has an impact on ones finances in homeland if one were to go back home?

Ex.-My cousins in Colombia came here and escaped all of their debts there and made a fresh start here, opened a business, etc.

By: Sadaiyappan

Sadaiyappan — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:29:04 +0000

Yeah $1850 a week is pretty awesome if they work 50 weeks a year.. I would quit school if I could make that kind of money !

By: Corporate Serf

Corporate Serf — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:28:44 +0000

yep, and this would lead also to unfettered blowing up of buildings acros the country, which would enable a spurt in engineering and construction - we have a winner here!!

I see that the standard of electronic public discourse hasn't improved since the usenet days.

You have to have some sort of security check, duh! We already do that for all visitors, tourists, students and immigrants.

By: Corporate Serf

Corporate Serf — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:25:12 +0000

Wrong. Considering that Wall Street Journal, as Republican as they come, has been calling for looser immigration rules to aid their corporate readers. National Review, which represents different segments of the Republicans is more restrictionist. But hey, why let facts get in the way of rhetoric?

It was a toungue in cheek comment. wsj has always been a farily libertarian journal, and yes I am aware of the US political spectrum