Comments on: Illegal migrants, legal unions

By: figbash

figbash — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 08:44:25 +0000

Putting the cart before the horse is the only way to do it in this situation. The Korean labor system is really quite thrilled to have tons of illegal workers to be exploited, and the government is happy to oblige by keeping the legal system rigged to maintain such a situation. That being the case, allowing them to unionize seems like a very just move on the part of the judicial system (haha, fancy that!) in recognition of the fact that other branches of government are creating an untenable situation and allowing the first meager corrective measures to give migrant workers some voice. Besides, the actual criminality here belongs not only to the workers, whose illegality has a very passive element (overstaying a visa is not exactly a violent attempt to tear down the host society), but also of the industries that rely on the labor they can extract from the undocumented workers and the factories that hire them.
If the Korean government were really concerned with the problem (and it doesn’t seem like they are) there would be major crackdowns focused on the employers with real penalties. And frankly, the Korean government would also be entirely within its rights to round up every last illegal worker and deport them. This will never, ever happen though, lest someone somewhere have to pay a few won more for their clothes or machine parts. God forbid.

By: fred_random

fred_random — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 06:48:48 +0000

Babarian,

I would think that identifying these “blue color” aliens shouldn’t be a major problem for the police.

By: babarian

babarian — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 06:34:05 +0000

Although even the illegal aliens should have the basic human rights, the right to work or the right to join the unions shouldn’t be among them.

By: dda

dda — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 04:34:43 +0000

Just what Korea needs, more unions…

By: babarian

babarian — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 03:17:21 +0000

It’s striking to notice that about two thirds of those blue color foreign workers are illegal aliens. Another sign of hopeless government.

By: michael

michael — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:44:29 +0000

Marmot’s right, it’s putting the cart in front of the horse to allow unions when the workers have overstayed visas and are here illegally. Either grant them amnesty and then the right to unionize or boot them out.

By: dogbertt

dogbertt — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:36:20 +0000

No one thinking that coming out into the open, grouping and identifying themselves will make it easier for the gov’t. to find and deport illegal immigrant laborers?

By: Eye4Insanity

Eye4Insanity — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:31:21 +0000

I agree with figbash. It’s a step in the right direction, I think, given the choice, the migrant workers would prefer to be of a legal status and having the right to form unions is a step towards achieving this.

By: Gerno

Gerno — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 01:59:59 +0000

Only the legal korean workers use threats, violence, and corruption to carry out their work.

By: Sonagi

Sonagi — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 01:10:53 +0000

from the FBI:

“Organized Crime

The FBI defines organized crime as any group having some manner of a formalized structure and whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal activities. Such groups maintain their position through the use of actual or threatened violence, corrupt public officials, graft, or extortion, and generally have a significant impact on the people in their locales, region, or the country as a whole.”

They are working illegally but do not use threats, violence, or corruption to carry out their work. Rather, undocumented workers are more likely to be on the receiving end of threats and violence.