Women migrant workers have experienced unethical recruitment practices, underpayment or non-payment of wages, harassment by employers and the absence of contracts, according to an Equality Authority report to be unveiled today.
The Introduction to the Situation and Experience of Migrant Women report by social policy analyst Dr Jane Pillinger says that migrant women workers face the double burden of racism and sexism.
The report interviewed 36 migrants from 19 countries, including work permit holders, refugees, student visa holders and EU citizens. It finds that migrants had a better educational profile than the Irish population, in part because of their age. And migrant women were more likely to be in the labour force and to work full time than Irish women.
The majority of migrant women were working in jobs below their skills levels.
"Women were working in contract cleaning with university degrees. Women who were carrying out routine service jobs are qualified teachers and university lecturers and women were working in hotels and bars who have masters level qualifications," the report states.
It gives the example of Julia, a non-clinical public health doctor in Russia who could only get work as a hotel housekeeper when she first came here. She has been unemployed for the last two years because of restrictions on work permits for certain occupations.
The report highlights the difficult working conditions facing migrant workers with most complaints coming from women in the contract cleaning, hospitality and horticultural sectors.
It gives the example of Anita who had worked as a mushroom picker but was sacked for speaking out against low pay, which averaged 50 cents per hour. Several women expressed fear they would be replaced by workers from new EU member states if they complained.
Of the 11 women who had been recruited through agencies in their home countries, eight had paid fees ranging from €500 to €3,500.
The report highlights the isolation felt by migrant women workers, particularly those in the horticulture sector who did not get the opportunity to mix with local people.
The report was commissioned by the Equality Authority to mark Anti-Racist Workplace Week which begins today. Niall Crowley, chief executive of the Equality Authority, said it highlighted the particular challenges facing migrant women as they were entering a labour market already characterised by gender inequality and then they faced a second form of discrimination because of their race.
The report calls for initiatives to support the career progression of migrant women and better access to affordable childcare and flexible working arrangements. It also wants greater awareness among staff and managers of sexism and racism. It calls for improved access to information services and says the stereotyping of migrant women should be addressed through the media and education initiatives.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: women migrant workers
• "When I worked in the hotel I was left in the bar with a large and difficult party I was on my own and had to do the bar for over six hours and then clear up without a break. There is no way that an Irish woman employee would have been asked to do this on her own."
• "It's when Irish people are drunk at night that it is the worst the racist and sexist abuse to women is terrible. They can be really nasty."
• "We all signed seven-month contracts with pay of 130 a week. That seemed loads, considering where we came from [ South Africa]. Many of us were working from six in the morning 'til eight at night in order to earn as much money as possible The big problems started when the employer changed we were still doing the same job but then we found that we were getting lower pay and worse conditions When I questioned and kicked up a fuss I was told that they had to let me go."
• "I sometimes think it is because I am a woman and because I am Filipina they think they can give me the worst jobs to do. I feel I am treated unfairly."
Source: Introduction to the Situation and Experience of Migrant Women by Dr Jane Pillinger
