A Raw Deal: Abuse of Thai Workers in Israel’s Agricultural Sector
Human Rights Watch has released a 48-page report on abuses suffered by Thai agricultural workers in Israel, including low pay, excessive working hours, hazardous working conditions, and poor housing. The report, made possible by Kav LaOved, also corroborates Kav LaOved’s own findings when it comes to the conditions of migrant workers in Israel’s agricultural sector. This report calls for the governments of Israel and Thailand to take action in improving the situation through better regulation, enforcement, and access to information.
Kav LaOved – Worker’s Hotline: “The new Human Rights Watch report, published in late January 2015, confirms claims that have been raised by Kav LaOved for years. The Israeli agricultural sector is a greenhouse for violations of migrant workers’ labor and human rights. These workers are frequently employed in harsh conditions, housed in disgraceful accommodations, and are paid considerably less than the minimum wage. Furthermore, they often work many hours beyond the permitted limit and are denied access to medical treatment. In addition to this, adequate enforcement by relevant authorities is practically non-existent in this sector and has become a key component contributing to the horrendous circumstances of migrant workers in this field; as reflected in the report.
We urge the state to seriously consider the findings of this report and carry out comprehensive and radical improvements in order to effectively protect workers’ rights in the agricultural sector in Israel.” See the full report at http://www.hrw.org/reports/2015/01/21/raw-deal-0.
