Workers exploited in 'sweatshops' by Indian IT firms
05-03-2007
Indian IT firms are sending employees to the UK to work for illegally low wages, according to new research.
Figures released to the Association of Technology Staffing Companies (Atsco) under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that during 2006 Indians were granted 26,835 (almost 80 per cent) of the 33,756 IT work permits issued.
Thousands of workers are being brought over on short-term transfers to work in "sweatshop factories", producing software for back-office systems such as payroll and absence management, Personnel.com reports.
Ann Swain, Atsco's chief executive, said staff are being brought to offices in the UK because they can be paid cheaply - and then bring the knowledge they had gained back to India with them.
She told Personneltoday: "They are working in sweatshop factories, not learning English, some are in hostels and most are not learning the culture. We have had calls from people saying they are earning less than half what they could on the open market."
However, the British Computer Society (BCS) was doubtful of the findings:
"There are some queries about whether they are paid as much, but they are not being exploited. They are paid highly compared with their colleagues back home," said Elizabeth Sparrow, chair of the BCS working party on offshoring.
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