Artemia como vector de bacterias

B

Since the 2004 induction of ten new member countries into the EU, making a total of twenty-five, there have been increasing reports of problems in the older member countries due to increased migration. This growing trend of migration from Eastern Europe into the Western EU and Schengen countries (Norway and Iceland are non- EU members of the latter group of fifteen Western European countries, although

Norway is predicted to join the EU in the near future) has been facilitated by the EU expansion, which resulted in greater worker mobility from poorer countries across national borders. These reports of problems in Western European countries have included “salary dumping,” or dramatic pay reductions, to unskilled workers from Eastern European countries; the availability of work in low-skill industries such as low-level construction; and the contribution to unemployment in these sectors for host country nationals.

Pavel Zawozski is a Polish national who recently immigrated to Oslo, Norway, and began working for Allenco, a large construction company based in Norway. Pavel now resides in the same basic accommodations provided by the company for all its employees. Pavel’s family is still living in Poland, and he hopes to sup- port them with his new wages. He is being paid 2.60 euros an hour, which is more than he would be making in Poland. However, this rate is still considerably less than the 15 to 20 euros an hour a Norwegian worker would make for performing the same job. Because Pavel is sending much of his money back to Poland, he is leading a poor quality of life. His job provides him with shelter, but due to Oslo’s high cost of living, Pavel can’t afford to eat properly, and his health is declining from overwork and poor nutrition. He works up to ten hours a day, five days a week, exceeding the 37.5-hour limit per week set by Norway’s government. He is not paid overtime wages and, in addition, often works holidays, because he is eager to make more money. Pavel pays about 800 euros a year in taxes, yet he does not enjoy the same pay level or workers’ union protection as a Norwegian citizen. In addition, Pavel is limited in terms of job mobility and security. His boss doesn’t like foreign workers, and Pavel knows he will never be promoted above Norwegian workers.

Ola Normann is a Norwegian citizen who has been unemployed for six months and has been collecting unemployment compensation from the Norwegian govern- ment. Ola lost his job working for a construction company when they were underbid by rival Allenco for a project. Allenco has lower operation costs due to its policy of employing foreign workers for lower wages and, as a result, has an advantage over its competition. Ola is a member of the Norwegian construction workers union, and as such he must be paid at least 15 euros an hour. This union enforces minimum wages for its members, but membership is limited to Norwegian citizens. Foreign workers are not required to be members of this union and are not protected by the same agreements. Ola has been actively searching for work but cannot find employ- ment at his old salary with any construction company in Norway because most com- panies are responding to competition by hiring foreign workers who will work for much less money. Being forced out of a job, Ola has now become angry with his situation and has been joining with others to pressure the government to solve this issue. He feels as a citizen of Norway he has paid high taxes for years and therefore should be provided for. But Ola doesn’t want to depend on his unemployment check— he wants his job back.

The workers’ union has been petitioning the government to implement some restriction on companies employing foreign workers for less money, but the “free movement of workers” policies in the EU countries means the government can’t

make any legislation that will impede this free movement. The unions enforce minimum-restrictions in Norway for the local citizens, but for the foreign workers, who are not members of the union, there is no base salary indicated or enforced by the government, because there has been no need for it in the past. In addition, the Norwegian government is paying out 2.7 billion euros to unemployed Norwegian citizens every year, representing a major burden on the economy. Furthermore, the foreign workers pay much less in taxes on their small salaries, and much of their income is sent out of the country to aid their families in their homeland, thus it does not contribute to the local economy.

Q

C

A

D

1. How is the present case consistent with the global trend of migration and movement of labor across national boundaries?

2. In the face of the major labor movement trend described in this case, how do you feel about the hiring and employment policies and practices of the con- struction company, Allenco? Should they be changed?

3. What should the workers’ union be doing in working toward an appropriate resolution to this difficult situation? Should the union continue to exclude foreign workers from its ranks?

4. What kind of solutions could the Norwegian government offer, within the lim- its set by EU regulations, to help resolve the situations faced by Pavel and Ola?