Italian police have freed 33 Indian farm workers who were forced to work under slave-like conditions on two farms in the northern province of Verona. Two Indian citizens have been arrested on suspicion of labor exploitation.
The liberation of the workers follows an incident in which an Indian worker died in an industrial accident near Rome. This incident has sparked a debate about poor working conditions in the Italian agricultural sector.
Following this accident, the Italian government has tightened controls on illegal labor and exploitation in the agricultural sector. This happens a few times every year, but little is structurally done against the large-scale hiring of illegal foreign workers in the Italian countryside.
The agricultural workers in Verona worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day, for a wage of only four euros per hour. Police discovered that some workers had to pay 13,000 euros for a non-existent work permit.
Assets worth 475,000 euros of the two suspects were seized. These suspects own two agricultural businesses without official employees.
This case is part of a larger problem of labor exploitation in Europe, where migrants often work in appalling conditions in low-paid sectors such as agriculture. Italy, like many other European countries, is struggling with a labor shortage, which is partly met by migrants.
The Italian government has pledged to take tougher action against companies guilty of such practices and announced measures to improve protection for migrant workers. This includes tightened controls and stricter penalties for exploiters.
The issue of labor exploitation is not limited to Italy. It is a widespread problem across Europe and requires a coordinated approach at international level. Migrant workers from countries such as India, as well as Africa and Eastern Europe, are often vulnerable to exploitation due to their precarious legal status and lack of protection.
International organizations and labor rights activists are calling for better protection for migrant workers and stricter enforcement of labor laws to prevent exploitation. There are also calls for better information to be provided to migrants about their rights and the risks of illegal work.