The organizations in the statement said that COVID-19
pandemic severely impacted millions of migrant workers in
destination countries and many of whom have experienced job
loss or non-payment of wages, been forced by employers to
take unpaid leave or reduced wages, been confined in poor
living conditions, and with little or no engagement in the work
options before them.
‘Many migrant workers also struggle with the dilemma of
exercising their right to return in these circumstances, while
others remain stranded in cities without access to services or
support, or in border areas, living in precarious conditions
posing as quarantine facilities.’
They noted that countries of destination and origin have begun
repatriation procedures of these workers, without giving
thought to their predicament and presenting the returns as
inevitable. Millions will be repatriated to situations of debt
bondage as they will be forced to pay off recruitment fees and
costs, despite returning empty handed.
Under the above conditions, repatriation poses additional
challenges, as, without proper controls, employers might take
advantage of mass repatriation programs to terminate and
return workers who have not been paid their due
compensation, wages and benefits, they said.
‘Without ensuring that companies and employers are doing
their due diligence to protect and fulfill the human rights and
labour rights of repatriated migrant workers, states across the
migration corridor become complicit in overseeing procedures
where millions of workers will be returning without their earned
wages or workplace grievances being heard, nor seeing justice
in their situation.’
The statement added: ‘This is a gross violation of labour rights
on a large scale. Wage theft will account for millions of dollars
to the detriment of workers and the benefit of businesses and
employers who will be exempted from any accountability, even
if states and banks extend a helpline to reestablish themselves
and adjust to the new normal.’
The organizations said that the repatriation procedures have
been undertaken hastily by countries of both origin and
destination, without any proper redress mechanism, since
courts and other labour dispute mechanisms have also been
closed during the period of the lockdown.
‘Therefore, these violations will pile up and either not be
addressed or overburden the existing dispute resolution
mechanisms.’
In this regard, MFA,LBB) Network, CCRM,SARTUC, and SC
called upon countries of origin and destination to urgently put
in place a transitional justice mechanism with the following
objectives: