Frattini: Punish employers of undeclared workers

Those who enslave their workers “must be hit in the pocket”

17th January 2010: Employers of undeclared workers must be punished, Italy’s Foreign Affairs Minister Franco Frattini has said.

Reacting to the recent revolt of migrant workers in the city of Rosarno, Mr. Frattini said undeclared work is a shame and indirectly favours illegal immigration.

He said that what happened in Rosarno is an open violation of the principles of the EU Directive which he proposed and was approved by the EU Parliament. The Directive prescribes tough sanctions against employers who engage and exploit illegal immigrants.

Instead of exploiting thousands of poor people, they should use tax exemption provided by the State to firms hiring seasonal immigrant workers, Mr. Frattini said. Profit cannot lead to mortification of the human dignity of thousands human beings, he said, adding that those who use undeclared work must be punished. They must be hit in the pocket, Mr. Frattini said. “I don’t accept any more agricultural entrepreneurs who receive subsidies from EU and enslave their workers.”