Migrant exploitation in Duisburg: insights into the dark basement of hope

Migrant exploitation in Duisburg: insights into the dark basement of hope

In the north of Duisburg, there was a large -scale raid on the officials who entered an industrial area in the early morning when it was still dark. They searched specifically for signs of undeclared work and work exploitation. In a basement that had a narrow corridor with brownish tiles and mogy smell, the officers pushed on several doors. Behind these doors are a heavily dirty kitchen and a room with numerous single beds, on which there were personal objects such as sports bags with underwear and T-shirts. Around ten men were heard in the following minutes, they had promised a better life in Germany, but this turned out to be deceptive. These controls are part of a growing concern about the living conditions of migrants: inside in Germany, which often live under precarious conditions.

The problem is not new. As journalist Sascha Lübbe emphasizes in an interview, many people live "at the bottom of the system". In 2022, the Federal Criminal Police Office recorded 1,019 victims in the field of work exploitation. However, this number could be significantly higher, since many migrants are not reporting violations with their residence status for fear of job and apartment loss as well as possible problems with their residence status. Lübbe has researched working conditions in various industries such as construction, transport and meat industry, where migrants are often fixed and have to suffer from extreme conditions.

structures of exploitation

The system of exploitation in Germany is well structured. At the top are renowned general companies, followed by subcontractors and ultimately the workers who are often very disadvantaged. These workers: Long working hours, a lack of sickness benefit and a lack of vacation pay in the inside experience, which further increases the pressure on them. Many of them were lured to Germany under false promises and often live in a small space or in moldy apartments.

increased attention to compliance with applicable laws in the area of ​​undeclared work is urgently necessary. Lübbe also appeals to political solutions that strive for an improvement in working conditions. A nationwide tariff loyalty law could remedy this by only taking into account the general companies who pay according to the tariff in public tenders. In addition, an association law in labor law is discussed that could make unions essential to sue employers without the employees concerned: to be involved inside. Such measures could help to improve the precarious conditions of many migrants: inside and break through the structures of exploitation.

The situation, as it became visible in Duisburg, shows that reforms are necessary to guarantee the affected workers a lawful and humane workplace. Finally, it should be noted that both social and political mobilization is necessary to improve the living conditions of these people.