Bermuda Deemed Safe For Filipino Workers

Bermuda is one of 125 countries deemed safe for Filipino migrant workers — with Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq among the the 41 countries the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration [POEA] named yesterday [Nov. 1] where overseas Filipino workers [OFWs] are barred from going.

The Philippine government agency declared the ban due to the countries’ failure to meet fully protect migrant workers.

Hundreds of Filipino nationals have been drawn to Bermuda over the last 25 years to fill various positions in the economy. Association of Filipinos in Bermuda estimates there are about 600 natives of the Pacific island chain here , including doctors, accountants, nurses, waiters and domestic servants [members of the Association of Filipinos in Bermuda are pictured here participating in a Bermuda Day parade].

Acceptable host countries must have labour and social laws protecting the rights of workers; be a signatory to and/or a ratifier of multilateral conventions, declarations or resolutions relating to the protection of workers; and have concluded a bilateral agreement or arrangement with the government on the protection of the rights of OFWs.

The countries where deployment of OFWs is not allowed Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Chad, Croatia, Cuba, North Korea, Dominica, Timor Leste, Eritrea, Haiti, India, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, and Mali.

Also off-limits for OFWs are Mauritania, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, Palestine, Serbia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tonga, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, US Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.

Cleared for deployment along with Bermuda are Armenia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Burkina Faso, Bulundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo Republic, Cook Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Guyana.

Also allowed to employ OFWs are Iceland, Cote d’Ivoire, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, and Ukraine.

Last November Bermudians were encouraged to open their eyes to the plight of some of these migrant workers and to take principled stands against those who abuse the rights of their overseas employees.

The Bermuda Industrial Union backed an international initiative to highlight the rights of migrant workers, marking International Migrants Day last December and holding an awareness campaign to focus public attention on the subject.

Pictured below discussing International Migrant Day are Louis Somner [BIU Organiser], Michelle St. James, Graham Nesbitt [BIU Organiser], Chris Furbert [BIU President], Richenel Ilario, Lucy Attride Stirling [Amnesty International):

The BIU’s chief union coordinator George Scott said it was vital to ensure migrant workers in Bermuda are not unfairly exploited. The BIU is particularly concerned about migrant domestic workers — many of them not fluent in English — who are paid meagre wages while being expected to be on-call 24 hours a day in some cases.

“We’re doing a campaign on bringing all the awareness of migrant workers and their rights. We will put out information on the rights of migrant workers,” he told the “Bermuda Sun” at the time. “Government, associations within the community and employers are invited. But we’re asking the people themselves to come out and hear the speakers and hear the accolades.”

In 1997, Filipino and Asian migrant organisations began celebrating and promoting December 18 as the International Day of Solidarity with Migrants.

This date was chosen because it was on 18 December 1990 that the United Nations adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families. In 2000 the UN General Assembly designated December 18 of each year as International Migrant’s Day.

Last year marked the first time the international observance of migrant workers’ efforts, contributions and rights will be held in Bermuda.

Earlier in 2010 the then Labour Minister Lt. Col. David Burch touched on the topic of migrant workers in a speech, saying some in Bermuda are vulnerable to abuse.

“For the most part I believe non-Bermudian workers are being treated fairly,” he said. “However, one case of abuse of workers is too many and when reported will be fully investigated and addressed.

“We do not wish to see anybody Bermudian or non-Bermudian ill-treated by their employer. I have noticed an increasing trend of abuse of workers generally and I wish to put all on notice that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

Recently anti-Filipino graffiti was found spray-painted at various locations around the island, prompting the One Bermuda Alliance to call for an end to scapegoating.

To report instances of abuse or discrimination in the workplace, call the Department of Labour on 295-5151.

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