migrant workers

Migrant workers as a political pledge

Controversial government resolution

_{This article is the full version of an article published on The Marker Online, on June 30 2009.}

A government resolution of May 12 2009, gives a go-ahead to continuing the importation of more than 20,000 migrant workers in agriculture in the next few years, in striking contrast with past resolutions and recommendations. Even a resolution to submit the importation of Thai laborers to supervision by IOM (International Organization for Migration), eventually became null and void. This, in fact, is a hefty pledge to appease the Avuda party for joining Netanyahu's coalition, and for the purpose of securing majority for his newly-formed government.

Despite the economic crisis and the risk of higher unemployment and poverty rates, the government acts in the best interests of a narrow interest group. Instead of advocating for a public policy promoting the creation of new workplaces, especially for women in the peripheries, the government prefers tycoons to workers.

In 2007 the Olmert government adopted recommendations of the Eckstein Committee on the topic of migrant workers. The recommendations were set to serve as groundwork to the government's long-term policy, intended to put an end to the chaotic lack of planning. According to the committee's report, the number of migrant laborers in agriculture was supposed to plummet from 29,000 to 5000 within 6 years. It also recommended that the employment of migrant workers in the construction industry be discontinued altogether by 2010.

The deal signed by the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture, and the Israeli Farmer's Federation, paves the way for continuing the importation of migrant workers, estimated at over 20,000 by 2014. Discontinuing employment of migrant workers in the construction industry was deferred by another two years to 2012, whereas international supervision by IOM is non-existent.

This emanates from the fiasco of a pilot program promoting employment of Israeli laborers in agriculture. Allotted with NIS 5 million in 2008, it was meant to subsidize 300 Israeli workers in agriculture. The program was intended to serve as an indicator of Israeli workers' willingness to replace migrant laborers in the field. Comprehensive groundwork was carried out, in cooperation the Bank of Israel, the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture, as well as the Israeli Employment Service. Upon finalizing it and publishing a call for farmers to partake, it turned out that the farmers simply turned a blind eye to it. Instead of a total of 150 farmers expected to take part (2 laborers per farmer), only 12 registered. The pilot program was discontinued, consequently.

Israeli farmers now know for a fact: failing the pilot program was worth their while. When the incoming minister of agriculture and head of the farmers' lobby, Shalom Simhon, entered his position, all the necessary measures have been taken to deep freeze any changes to the government's policy on the importation of migrant workers. All the negotiations thus far were merely an illusion. The farmers had no real intention of absorbing Israeli laborers, and neither did the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labour really intend to submit the importation of migrant laborers to international supervision. The Ministry of
Finance, on its part, had no intention of cutting down on the importation of migrant workers, while dealing with the problem of unemployment.

The government's ignominious withdrawal from its past obligations on the background of a financial crisis and soaring unemployment, is absurd. Namely, a green light to blatant exploitation of dozens of thousands of migrant workers arriving to Israel under abusive bondage terms, is weakening the local labour market while driving whole classes of local laborers to unemployment. The latter are unable to compete with cheap and convenient workforce by helpless migrant laborers.

The government's policy on migrant laborers must be tailored according to the state of the Israeli labour market, and for the purpose of fighting poverty and unemployment. Its role is to provide a solution to social problems and not serve interest-driven pressure groups. The introduction of tens of thousands of poor migrant workers into the Israeli labour market, would give a death blow to a whole class of underprivileged workers from the peripheries. The consequent social explosion that will follow, should not be a surprise as long as the government's policy remains the same.

The writer is CEO of the Workers Advice Center, active in placement of unemployed Arab women to work in agriculture.