The protection of migrant workers’ rights was high on the agenda of the Business and Human Rights International Forum held in Moscow by the United Nations and the Russian government.
The issue of migrant workers from the former Soviet republics and Central Asia, particularly those unregistered and working illegally, was one of the most burning at the forum, as these employees are largely used in the construction industry, but do not usually get access to any of the rights to which workers who are registered are entitled.
John Ruggie, an official from the UN Human Rights Council, told RT that a lot of malpractice from the employers makes migrants’ life very tough.
“They feel vulnerable, as they are often exploited by their employers, but they are afraid to go to the authorities to complain, because of the obvious consequences,” Ruggie said.
Another problem affecting business in Russia, and in particular in Moscow, is the role of expats who come from all over the world to bring their expertise to various sectors in Russian industry.
As the financial crisis hit, many of them lost their jobs and were sent home, which means that expats who remained are forced to do more work, usually equal to the job of 2 or 3 people.
“Most major human rights violations committed by companies don’t start out as major human violations,” Ruggie said. “They start out as small grievances that are ignored and then escalate. As they escalate, things get really bad.”
Evgeny Reizman from Baker & McKenzie, an international law firm, told RT that among other violations are illegal terminations of contracts, problems with salaries and additional compensation, as well as safety at work.
“The problem of safety at work is a national problem in Russia. Dealing with employees from the CIS countries, many employers save money on safe conditions and protective measures,” Reizman added.
“The law equally protects any employee – either a Russian or a foreign one. The law itself contains all necessary instruments, so now it is a problem of enforcement,” Reizman said.
RT
