Revolt in Mississippi: Indian Workers Claim ‘Slave Treatment’

ABC News:

 Rebelling against alleged “slave treatment,” some 100 workers recruited from India staged a dramatic protest at a Mississippi shipyard Thursday, claiming they had been tricked into coming to the United States…

…The workers claim they were defrauded by a Signal International recruiter in India who promised them green cards and permanent residency in the U.S. in exchange for a $20,000 fee. The workers allege that they instead received 10-month work visas, which was only enough time for them to pay off their recruitment fees.

The workers also claim that Signal forced them to live in substandard housing, with 24 men crammed into a small room. The men say Signal charged them more than $1,000 a month to live in company housing. (article)

That’s pretty shady. I saw an Al Jazeera documentary on South Asian workers in Dubai who are trapped in virtually the same situation by shady recruiters and companies.

The workers are fighting back:

The workers have reported their situation to the U.S. Department of Justice and are calling for Signal International to be prosecuted on human trafficking charges.

 I am inclined to believe the workers on this one. Let’s hope justice prevails.