‘Slaves’ without coercion? Work-related classification patterns among Romanian migrant workers

Christian Sperneac-Wolfer; Andrei Botorog; Ferdinand Sutterlüty

doi:10.5771/1435-2869-2023-2-189

Contents
- Chapter Expand | CollapseAuthorsPage
- 127–130 Titelei/Inhaltsverzeichnis 127–130
- 131–134 Editorial 131–134
- 135–140 Western Balkans Civil Society Forum Peter Scherrer Peter Scherrer 135–140
- 141–160 Evaluating gender equality in politics and the labour market: the case of Albania Ela Golemi, Anxhela Llaftiu Ela Golemi, Anxhela Llaftiu 141–160
- 161–176 Poverty and its measurement: the case of Albania Ardita Borici, Alba Kruja Ardita Borici, Alba Kruja 161–176
- 177–188 Aspects of political representation in Albania: is it time for fewer seats in parliament? Belina Bedini Belina Bedini 177–188
- 189–208 ‘Slaves’ without coercion? Work-related classification patterns among Romanian migrant workers Christian Sperneac-Wolfer, Andrei Botorog, Ferdinand Sutterlüty Christian Sperneac-Wolfer, Andrei Botorog, Ferdinand Sutterlüty 189–208
- 209–226 ‘Ştiu eu pe cineva’. Self-organised mobility, labour intermediation and the two-fold exploitation of Romanian workers in the Austrian fresh food sector Paul Sperneac-Wolfer Paul Sperneac-Wolfer 209–226
- 227–248 After Arbeitsschutzkontrollgesetz. Strikes and organic intellectuals in the German meat industry Daniela Ana, Ştefan Voicu Daniela Ana, Ştefan Voicu 227–248
- 249–262 Civic participation through the Office of the National Ombudsman in the protection of labour rights in Bulgaria Eleonora Ushatova-Kalinova Eleonora Ushatova-Kalinova 249–262
- 263–270 Discussing Attila Àgh: Awaking Europe in the triple global crisis. The birth pangs of the emerging Europe (2021) Christophe Solioz Christophe Solioz 263–270
- 271–272 About the Authors 271–272
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SEER Journal for Labour and Social Affairs in Eastern Europe , page 189 - 208

‘Slaves’ without coercion? Work-related classification patterns among Romanian migrant workers

Autoren

Christian Sperneac-Wolfer Andrei Botorog Ferdinand Sutterlüty

DOI
- doi.org/10.5771/1435-2869-2023-2-189
- ISSN: 1435-2869
- ISSN online: 2942-3384
Abstract

Tens of thousands of Romanian migrants work in the German construction sector. Their work is often characterised by unpaid wages, long working days and the withholding of sick or holiday pay. The risky and exploitative nature of the conditions under which they work is reflected in their negative evaluation of their engagements as ‘slave labour’. Starting from such a clearly negative evaluation, this article asks how such workers classify their work and what role such classifications have within the context of labour exploitation. Based on qualitative interviews with and participant observation among Romanian construction site workers in Germany and in Romania, the article reconstructs four work classifications, each of which offers a different reason to make hard work plausible in the eyes of workers, while employers actively turn such interpretations into a mechanism of vulnerability. Without direct physical coercion, these ideas motivate workers to take on work that they themselves criticise as ‘slave labour’. The paper concludes by arguing that the recognition of such classifications and their social effects are crucial for an understanding of labour exploitation.
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