14 Jul. () –
Italian police authorities on Saturday rescued 33 farmers of Indian origin who were working in “slavery-like conditions” on two farms in the province of Verona, and seized nearly 500,000 euros from two alleged exploiters.
The incident comes as Italy has stepped up its surveillance of labour exploitation following the death of an Indian fruit picker in June after his arm was amputated by a machine, the Times of India reported.
The two employers, who are also of Indian origin and are already under investigation, are said to have lured more than thirty compatriots to Italy with temporary work permits, promising them high salaries that would supposedly allow them to have a better future.
However, the authorities say, the workers had to pay 17,000 euros each to enter the country and obtain the supposed work permit and, upon arrival, their passports were confiscated.
As for working conditions, police reports cited by the same newspaper reveal that Indian workers worked between ten and twelve hours a day, seven days a week, and that their wages were four euros an hour. If they had contracted any type of debt in order to enter the country, the salary they received was deducted from the total amount to be repaid until the commitment was settled.
The alleged abusers have been charged with crimes related to labour exploitation and slavery. The victims have been offered protection, employment and legal residence permits, according to the police.
Italy, like other European countries, is facing a growing labour shortage, which tends to be filled by migrant workers. In addition, labour law violations are a frequent problem in the country. In fact, the national statistics institute Istat found that in 2021, around 11 percent of Italian workers were employed illegally, a figure that exceeds 23 percent in the agricultural sector.
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