Labour contracting, migration and wage theft in the construction industry in Qatar, China, India, US and the EU

Le résumé fourni par la source

Wage violations (late payment, under-payment, non-payment of wages) are common in the construction industry in many parts of the world. They may also be increasing due to changes in the business models adopted by the industry over the past few decades. This chapter reports on the author's own research in Qatar, where late and non-payment of wages to migrant construction workers from low-wage economies in South Asia reached significant proportions in the construction boom leading up to the country hosting the World Cup in November 2022. The chapter then draws on the research of others in China and India where wage violations are used as an entry point to assess the processes involved in the recruitment and employment of construction workers from the rural areas during periods of rapid urbanisation. Ethnographic and anthropological studies of construction workers are included wherever appropriate. Wage violations are also occurring in more developed parts of the world, including the United States and Europe, and are clearly linked to the change in business models, which has opened the door to the migration of workers from lower wage economies. Hence, through a focus on wages, we have a lens from which to examine construction labour in a wide variety of settings. The links between wage violations and migration are important but it is argued that it is the change in business models that underlies both. Actions by governments to address the issue are assessed.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.