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Thai workers' rights abused on Israel farms: HRW

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Thai workers' rights abused on Israel farms: HRW

AFP


JERUSALEM: -- Thai labourers employed on Israeli farms suffer from low pay, dangerous working conditions and very long hours, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Wednesday.


According to the 48-page report entitled: "A Raw Deal: Abuses of Thai Workers in Israel’s Agricultural Sector," the 25,000 Thais employed in the Jewish state are working in conditions which contravene Israeli law.


Workers must tolerate "low pay, excessive working hours, hazardous working conditions and poor housing," it said.


"The success of Israel’s agricultural industry depends to a large extent on the labour of Thai migrant workers, but Israel is doing far too little to uphold their rights and protect them from exploitation," the New York-based organisation said.


"Israeli authorities need to be much more active in enforcing the law on working hours and conditions, and in clamping down on employers who abuse workers' rights."


The report's authors interviewed 173 Thai workers in 10 separate farming communities across Israel.


"All said that they were paid less than the legal minimum wage, forced to work far more hours than the legal limit, exposed to unsafe working conditions, and had difficulties if they tried to change employers."


In nine of the communities, the workers were housed in "makeshift and inadequate" accommodation, it said.


The Israeli economy ministry, which is responsible for trade and industry, had no immediate comment on the report.


But The Workers Hotline, an Israeli NGO, said the report supported its own findings.


"The Israeli agricultural sector is a greenhouse for violations of migrant workers' labour and human rights," it said in a statement.


"Lack of enforcement has become a key component in the horrendous situation of migrant workers in this field, as reflected in the (HRW) report."


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-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-01-21


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  • zaphod reborn
    zaphod reborn

    Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel? And

  • zaphod reborn
    zaphod reborn

    Are you implying that Thailand does not want to call itself a civilized country? The point is that migrant workers are mistreated everywhere in the world. This is just a cheap shot to single out Isr

  • That's not the point, here. If Israel wants to call themselves a civilized country they should look and treat their migrant workers with respect. At least respect as fellow human beings. All the re

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  • Popular Post

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel? And, is the mistreatment illegal in Israel, but legal in Thailand?

  • Popular Post

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel?

That's not the point, here.

If Israel wants to call themselves a civilized country they should look and treat their migrant workers with respect.

At least respect as fellow human beings.

All the rest is just excuses.............

  • Popular Post

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel?

That's not the point, here.

If Israel wants to call themselves a civilized country they should look and treat their migrant workers with respect.

At least respect as fellow human beings.

All the rest is just excuses.............

Are you implying that Thailand does not want to call itself a civilized country? The point is that migrant workers are mistreated everywhere in the world. This is just a cheap shot to single out Israel, because HRW opposes their treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza. HRW could find the same thing in any country with a large agricultural economic base, such as the US, Italy . . . or Thailand.

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel? And, is the mistreatment illegal in Israel, but legal in Thailand?

Read the heading and the post - this is about Thais in Israel

It is time for the Thai Government to make all farm workers return to Thailand and not permitted any other to work in Israel

These poor Thai workers can always work on Thai fishing boats and get more money and be treated better.

We all know working on fishing boat pays better

Also Israel should be sued in New York and Tel Aviv at once

  • Popular Post

It is time for the Thai Government to make all farm workers return to Thailand and not permitted any other to work in Israel

These poor Thai workers can always work on Thai fishing boats and get more money and be treated better.

We all know working on fishing boat pays better

Also Israel should be sued in New York and Tel Aviv at once

New York?

Israel has occupied the Upper West Bank Side now? rolleyes.gif

post-37101-0-25076200-1421830532_thumb.j

Anyway, regarding the story ... it's good to get such news out there. If there are worker abuses anywhere, and no doubt there are in Israel (as most any country), it's good to shed light on them, as that is the only place to start to potentially address the problems.

  • Popular Post

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel?

That's not the point, here.

If Israel wants to call themselves a civilized country they should look and treat their migrant workers with respect.

At least respect as fellow human beings.

All the rest is just excuses.............

Is Singapore a civilized country? Thais have many of the same complaints about working there and many have died. There are a lot of complains about conditions for these kind of workers in the USA too. Abuse of migrant farm workers should not happen anywhere, but it does and in a lot more places than Israel.

try coming to Thailand and working on a fishing boat or a host of other slave labor jobs you will get here. If they don't like it then come back home. It is not like the Israeli's are holding your passports so you can't leave (like the Thai's do to their slave laborers).

  • Popular Post

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel?

That's not the point, here.

If Israel wants to call themselves a civilized country they should look and treat their migrant workers with respect.

At least respect as fellow human beings.

All the rest is just excuses.............

Is Singapore a civilized country? Thais have many of the same complaints about working there and many have died. There are a lot of complains about conditions for these kind of workers in the USA too. Abuse of migrant farm workers should not happen anywhere, but it does and in a lot more places than Israel.

I see your point but two wrongs don't make a right. Israel is a democracy with a free press and should be open to legitimate criticism of anything going on there ... short of the common type of demonization that is clearly focused on denying Israel's right to exist. Migrant farm labor is rarely a path towards financial independence ... but abuses should not be acceptable, in Israel, or anywhere.

  • Popular Post

I agree, but because this type of abuse is so widespread and it is Human Rights Watch singling Israel out, it makes me a little suspicious of their motives.

Thai labourers employed on Israeli farms suffer from low pay, dangerous working conditions and very long hours, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Wednesday.

So being treated equally as they would in their own country and a damn sight better than Thais treat their migrant workers ... yes the shoe on the other foot is not nice.

We of Thia Visa should raise money to bring these poorly paid slaves home to Thailand

Why do these poor say their if it so bad? ( maybe not bad at all)

How come the Thailand Army doesn't forbid Israel from during this?

I do not understand

Let bring them home at once

I want to help at once please tell me how?

We of Thia Visa should raise money to bring these poorly paid slaves home to Thailand

Why do these poor say their if it so bad? ( maybe not bad at all)

How come the Thailand Army doesn't forbid Israel from during this?

I do not understand

Let bring them home at once

I want to help at once please tell me how?

Become a Thai citizen first, perhaps? rolleyes.gif

We of Thia Visa should raise money to bring these poorly paid slaves home to Thailand

Why do these poor say their if it so bad? ( maybe not bad at all)

How come the Thailand Army doesn't forbid Israel from during this?

I do not understand

Let bring them home at once

I want to help at once please tell me how?

Become a Thai citizen first, perhaps? rolleyes.gif

What does being a Thai Citizen mean when I want to help the poor farm workers in Israel?

I thought anyone can help his fellow human being

Are you against the poor Thais and deo not want me to help them.

I am a citizen of the world when it comes to helping the poor.

I can see you only want to eat in expensive resturants

Well, they are not "slaves" and what makes you think most of them even WANT to leave Israel? Of course if they do, I would hope they can do so ... there is nothing in the article indicating they are being stopped from that if they want. There is a Thai embassy in Israel ... surely they can be contacted in extreme cases if needed to escape slavery. whistling.gif

BTW, if you just want to give your money to poor exploited Thai workers living crappy lives of poverty, look around you in Thailand ... no need to go to Israel for that.

Well even working for less than the Israeli $11.09 per hour must surely be better than working for the Thai $1 an hour.....IF they're lucky!

Yeah, I bet they're begging to come back and work on fishing boats. laugh.png

I actual saw and talk to a few Thai over there and to me they acted very happy. Guess I did meet the once there where so miss treated but I don't know

  • Popular Post

Well, worldwide that's the case with most migrant farm workers. Are Burmese, Cambodians and Laotians working in Thai agricultural fields treated better or worse than the Thais working in Israel?

That's not the point, here.

If Israel wants to call themselves a civilized country they should look and treat their migrant workers with respect.

At least respect as fellow human beings.

All the rest is just excuses.............

How is the pay and conditions of Mexican workers in US?

How about working visa compulsory work on Australian farms?

Anyone forced them to go work in Israel?

I am certain conditions and pay in Israel is at least 10 times more and better than in thailand , otherwise they would not be going , would they ?

Yeah I think it's clear the Thai workers in Israel program is desirable to BOTH Israel and Thailand, but that there's a lot of room for improvement as far as worker conditions.

Blimey, what's the fuss about? When I first went to Israel in the early 70's we got paid $50 a month plus board and worked horrendous hours! Didn't complain though, we just got stuck in and made the most of it - which in my case meant getting married to a local! I always had the option to go home if I wanted and I guess these Thais have the same option?

They're obviously not slaves any more than a McDonald's worker.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

If an immigrant does not like the working conditions of another or host country then stay the f home. No one is holding a gun to their heads, forcing them to go elsewhere and forcing them to work for crap wages in bad conditions. Free market dictates employee worth to some degree. Why does someone with no education, very little skills and poor communication skills go to a different country and expect any different?

Perhaps this is even better than what they get in their own country.

They're obviously not slaves any more than a McDonald's worker.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yea they are all wage slaves.

The Thai workers, had to agree and sign a contract before going. So they know how much they are getting and how many hours to be worked., if not then they should go to the embassy in Tel Aviv.

And as far as housing and working conditions, that is another story.

Minimum wage in Israel is 40k Baht per month,,,,,,which is alot for them.

If an immigrant does not like the working conditions of another or host country then stay the f home. No one is holding a gun to their heads, forcing them to go elsewhere and forcing them to work for crap wages in bad conditions. Free market dictates employee worth to some degree. Why does someone with no education, very little skills and poor communication skills go to a different country and expect any different?

Perhaps this is even better than what they get in their own country.

Most countries there, keep their passports locked up, which is illegal.

I was working in UAE, and they tried the same crap, I said this is the property Myself. If you don't give it back to me I will call the USA Embassy. They then gave it to me.

Why they keep it is that, workers from the Philippines, about 15 years ago, 25 decided to jump on a plane back home and left the hotel short of staff.

Another, is alot of workers lost their passports, when their contracts ended, thus creating alot of wasted time and work for the HR office.

Send them home to Thailand...where they will be treated like the children of the king...nothing but the best for these folks...

If an immigrant does not like the working conditions of another or host country then stay the f home. No one is holding a gun to their heads, forcing them to go elsewhere and forcing them to work for crap wages in bad conditions. Free market dictates employee worth to some degree. Why does someone with no education, very little skills and poor communication skills go to a different country and expect any different?

Perhaps this is even better than what they get in their own country.

Ummm actually it is a form of Human labor trafficking

As a lawyer I thought you would know that?

As to why they would leave their country ...same as many

Especially if your a hungry person & folks offer something far better than you can get at home you accept if all looks fine

Which it always does...Not too mention folks of their own race entice them...for a fee against future wages of course

As to why they do not leave? Same as most human trafficking cases...labor or otherwise many times their passports are taken upon arrival

under various false claims.

Yes it is sad that they do not see any options but this is why they recruit from the countries they do.

They arrive do not speak the language..have no friends no family...not so easy to run to a consulate & say help me.

But again you play a lawyer on TV no? I would think you know of many such cases?

Here is a recent one of well over 200 Thai workers in Hawaii

http://www1.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/brochure-human_trafficking.cfm?renderforprint=1

http://www.eturbonews.com/30648/slavery-and-human-trafficking-legal-united-states

http://ciw-online.org/blog/2010/09/global_horizons_prosecution/

Not just Palestinians then, was to be expected, what else is new? Aren't they God's chosen ones?

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