Foreign Workers in Israel

Israel Drori

Description

In this account of a social experiment gone awry, Israel Drori exposes a little-known and recent phenomenon: the importation of foreign workers from Third World economies to Israel. Focusing on Romanian, Thai, and Filipina migrants brought to Israel for specified periods of employment, Drori examines the effect of migrants on Israeli society, particularly the issue of national identity. What began as a political corrective—avoiding the danger of hiring Palestinians to do work that Jewish Israelis would not—has developed into a social and economic problem the state does not know how to handle. In addition to examining the work experiences and social lives of these workers, Drori also situates the Israeli case within a global context, where many affluent nations have significant populations of marginalized, undocumented workers.
Figures and Tables
Foreword

1. Introduction

The Challenge of Labor Migration Policies
Israel: Its Major Dilemmas and Recent Labor Migration
A Note on the Objectives of This Book
Organization of This Book

2. Labor Migration in Israel: Theoretical Context

Theoretical Discussion of Labor Migration
The Theoretical Context of the Israeli Case: The Threat Argument
The Context of the Israeli Case: The Ethnic Identity Argument
Conclusion

3. The Evolution of Government Policies and the Migrant Labor Employment System

The Legal Framework
Policy: The History of System of Entry Permits
The Formation of the Employment System
Conclusion

4. Employment Practices: The System of Placement Agencies

Testimony
System of Employment
Skewed Practices
Testimony: A Day of Negotiations on Behalf of Workers at Kav La’Oved
Conclusion

5. Living and Working as Non-Israelis: Filipino Caregivers

Social and Employment Networks
The Filipina Community in Israel
Breaking out of the Legal Network
Conclusion

6. Thai Agricultural Workers

The Employment System
The Social Environment of Work
Wages and Welfare
Conclusion

7. Rumanian Construction Workers
Work System and Cycle
Mechanism of Control
Conclusion

8. Illegal Labor Migrants: Life and Work on the Run

Working Life
Modes of Incorporation of Labor Migrants: The Case of Their Children
Conclusion

9. Deportation

Deportation: Process and Practices
The Implications of the Politics of Deportation
The Implications for Labor Migrants
Conclusion

10. The Rhythm of Policy and the Employment System

The Reconstitution of the Institutional
Environment and the Employment System
The Rhythm of Policies
Modes of Integration
Conclusion

11. Labor Migration Policies and National Identity

The Consequences of Policy
The Legacy of a “Defensive” Nation
The Effect of Citizenship on Rights to Enter, Work, and Reside in Israel

Notes
References
Index

Sujets

• Israel
• History of the Middle East
• Migration

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 21 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791477090
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

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Foreign Workers in Israel

SUNY SERIES IN I SRAELI S TUDIES

Russell Stone, editor

Foreign Workers in Israel

Global Perspectives



I SRAEL D RORI

SUNY P R E S S

Cover image: Tsibi Geva, ''Terrazzo, 2007.'' Acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of the artist.

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2009 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production by Eileen Meehan Marketing by Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Drori, Israel. Foreign workers in Israel : global perspectives / Israel Drori. p. cm. — (Suny series in israeli studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7914-7689-5 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Alien labor—Israel. 2. Alien labor—Government policy—Israel. 3. Alien labor, Philippine—Israel. 4. Alien labor, Romanian—Israel. 5. Alien labor, Thai—Israel. I. Title. HD8660.D76 2008 331.6'2095694—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2008024984

Figures and Tables

Foreword

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Introduction

Contents

The Challenge of Labor Migration Policies Israel: Its Major Dilemmas and Recent Labor Migration A Note on the Objectives of This Book Organization of This Book

Labor Migration in Israel: Theoretical Context Theoretical Discussion of Labor Migration The Theoretical Context of the Israeli Case: The Threat Argument The Context of the Israeli Case: The Ethnic Identity Argument Conclusion

The Evolution of Government Policies and the Migrant Labor Employment System

The Legal Framework Policy: The History of System of Entry Permits The Formation of the Employment System Conclusion

Employment Practices: The System of Placement Agencies Testimony System of Employment

v

ix

xi

1 1

5 12 13

15 16

25

35 40

45 46 52 63 67

69 70 71

vi

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Contents

Skewed Practices Testimony: A Day of Negotiations on Behalf of Workers at Kav La’Oved Conclusion

Living and Working as Non-Israelis: Filipino Caregivers

Social and Employment Networks The Filipina Community in Israel Breaking out of the Legal Network Conclusion

Thai Agricultural Workers

The Employment System The Social Environment of Work Wages and Welfare Conclusion

Rumanian Construction Workers

Work System and Cycle Mechanism of Control Conclusion

Illegal Labor Migrants: Life and Work on the Run

Working Life Modes of Incorporation of Labor Migrants: The Case of Their Children Conclusion

Deportation Deportation: Process and Practices The Implications of the Politics of Deportation The Implications for Labor Migrants Conclusion

The Rhythm of Policy and the Employment System The Reconstitution of the Institutional Environment and the Employment System The Rhythm of Policies Modes of Integration Conclusion

75

79 87

89 91 95 100 104

105 107 110 114 115

117 119 125 128

131 132

142 150

153 154 158 162 164

167

168 172 176 179

Chapter 11

Notes

References

Index

Contents

Labor Migration Policies and National Identity

The Consequences of Policy The Legacy of a “Defensive” Nation The Effect of Citizenship on Rights to Enter, Work, and Reside in Israel

vii

181 184 188

192

197

215

235

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