Today in the back room of a Prosecutors office, somewhere in California, a settlement was made, emancipating 48 workers imported from Thailand. These workers were brought into the US to be welders on the new San Francisco Bridge. Like the sex slaves of South Asia they were promised a new life in the "New World", instead were given a life of fear, exploitation, and poverty.
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said in a statement it had reached a settlement with Trans Bay Steel Inc, which agreed to pay compensation to the workers, who were brought to the US in 2002.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/...
These workers, most I am sure spoke little or no English had come to the US with a promise of a better life. Thailand just raised the minimum wage to a little over $3.50 per day, not an hour. The workers were keep isolated and lived in fear of the their captors turning them into immigration. They were brought in on work visas that claimed we don't have enough workers here that "want do this work" per the Administration.
The prevailing wage for a journeyman Iron Worker is 41.13 per hour. The next question is how these workers were allowed into the US?
How many more are being brought in under similar subtrafuge of no one in the US is qualified to work for 41.13 an hour? This is just another exploitation by Corporations to undermine the middle Class, not with cheap labor but slave labor. When the 110th Congress approves an increase in H1 visas, jobs across America will be in sourced with overseas labor looking for a better life, paying more than $3.50 per day!
It is hard to imagine, but...
"The workers in this case sought out the American dream, but instead faced a nightmare," Anna Park, a lawyer at the EEOC's Los Angeles District Office, said in a statement.
They had escaped at night and sought refuge in a Thai temple in Los Angeles. They were being chased down the street," Park told the AFP news agency. "It was just a horrible human story."
The outrage continues as the msm has no where acknowledged this criminal behavior, after goggling, the only reference I found was from the Bangkok Post, today.
It looks as though the Feds are complicit as the issue was resolved by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). I want to know why these contractors are not in Jail, in addition to compensation for the work and suffering sustained by these poor souls.
One million dollars will be paid in compensation to these 48 emancipated Thai slaves. Sounds like they need a good San Franciscan Attorney? I am going to write Nancy Pelosi and show the outrage I feel over this exploitation of the most honest and hard working people I know in Asia.
How in the most progressive city in America can this happen and no media mention?
As this is my first diary, I hope others who feel the same as I do, will advise how we get this into the MSM and ensure these criminals are put into jail! Where is the outrage?