Indentured Servitude in Germany

[Storebought]

Spanish people moving to Germany for employment find themselves trapped into contract jobs with exit fees for early termination. German labor unions are completely OK with it.

Source is here

*Forgive me for the headline -- but I've received complaints that my new topic subjects tend to be opaque.

[Hifly]

They can go somewhere else if they don't like it.

[Franzl]

A tad misleading. The type of conditional contract mentioned (with back payment clauses) are generally legal for any worker, irrespective of nationality.

Only question is whether the people signing them honestly understand that's what they're signing. If that's not the case, then that is a problem.

Also, it's not true that the labor unions have no problem with this. If you read the article you posted, you will find that they're quite opposed to the practice.

[Antonio the Sixth]

They can go somewhere else if they don't like it.

kthxbye

[Antonio the Sixth]

A tad misleading. The type of conditional contract mentioned (with back payment clauses) are generally legal for any worker, irrespective of nationality.

And it should be illegal irrespective of nationality.

[Storebought]

A tad misleading. The type of conditional contract mentioned (with back payment clauses) are generally legal for any worker, irrespective of nationality.

Only question is whether the people signing them honestly understand that's what they're signing. If that's not the case, then that is a problem.

Also, it's not true that the labor unions have no problem with this. If you read the article you posted, you will find that they're quite opposed to the practice.

The article mentioned Spanish, but that was just the nation profiled in the article.

On the second point, I read that too, but how much effort will labor unions expend to change laws that benefit their own members so well?

[© tweed]

On the second point, I read that too, but how much effort will labor unions expend to change laws that benefit their own members so well?

depends on the model.  classically, they oppose such measures, as it lessens the benefits associated with union membership.  for example, American labor was a big player against Truman's national health plan in 1947.

however, times have changed.  after the massacre of the 1980s, Unions have gradually realized that they have to change or die.  the new perspective is called "social movement unionism".  a good example is the Labor backing of efforts to raise the minimum wage here in the USA over the past few years.

I know that the German labor-employment model is very different from the USA's, so I don't know how directly the above applies, though I suspect the same concepts broadly apply.

[Simfan34]

They can go somewhere else if they don't like it.

That is the problem here, though, isn't it? They quite aren't able to.

[Famous Mortimer]

Should definitely make exit frees for jobs illegal.

[ingemann]

On the second point, I read that too, but how much effort will labor unions expend to change laws that benefit their own members so well?

depends on the model.  classically, they oppose such measures, as it lessens the benefits associated with union membership.  for example, American labor was a big player against Truman's national health plan in 1947.

however, times have changed.  after the massacre of the 1980s, Unions have gradually realized that they have to change or die.  the new perspective is called "social movement unionism".  a good example is the Labor backing of efforts to raise the minimum wage here in the USA over the past few years.

I know that the German labor-employment model is very different from the USA's, so I don't know how directly the above applies, though I suspect the same concepts broadly apply.

I would be surprised if German labour unions didn't fight this. The German labour union model is one of union organised on industry level and for them the creation on this class of bonded labour is not a benefit.

Also I think this is a issue where the German government should ban this kind of practices.

But I also understand Hifly's kneejerk reaction, simply because of the disgusting bigoptry against Germany and Germans which fills this board.

[MaxQue]

But I also understand Hifly's kneejerk reaction, simply because of the disgusting bigoptry against Germany and Germans which fills this board.

Quite ironic than Hifly complains about bigotry. Oh, wait, he can't be a bigot himself, he goes to Oxford.

[Antonio the Sixth]

But I also understand Hifly's kneejerk reaction, simply because of the disgusting bigoptry against Germany and Germans which fills this board.

The only poster who fits this description is probably Snowstalker. Unless criticizing the German government's policy choices makes someone a bigot.

[Velasco]

Only question is whether the people signing them honestly understand that's what they're signing. If that's not the case, then that is a problem.

The answer is not difficult to find, if you read the article. Some were deceived, because the details of the contracts were written in German and their ignorance of the language. Others knew the contract conditions, but they accepted because they hadn't another choice. In my opinion, in both cases employers are taking advantage of the people's desperation to get a job. It may be legal, but it's immoral. On the other hand, I don't think that lack of morality is attached to nationality. It's not that many employers in Spain have moral scruples of any kind.

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There are even worse cases. I remember a group of Spaniards whom were offered a job in Germany and ended left to their fate in a barrack located in the outskirts of Dresden or Leipzig. No job, no home. Nothing. The German government had to intervene and I believe that poor people were offered real job contracts.