☀️ JOIN SPN MOBILE
Forums
New posts
Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New resources
Latest activity
Videos
New media
New comments
Library
Latest reviews
Donate
Log in
Register
What's new
New posts
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Welcome to all New Sikh Philosophy Network Forums!
Explore Sikh Sikhi Sikhism...
Sign up
Log in
Discussions
Hard Talk
Interviews
300 Indian H2B Visa Workers Enslaved In Mississippi
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Vikram singh" data-source="post: 52449" data-attributes="member: 1078"><p><span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">New Orleans Indymedia reports that more than three hundred Indian workers in Pascagoula, Mississippi, claim that their employer, Signal International LLC, a marine fabrication company in Mississippi and Texas, is guilty of extreme labor exploitation. The workers are in the United States with temporary “H2B” guest worker visas to work as welders and fitters. They report paying $15,000 to $20,000 to acquire these visas and come to the United States. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The workers report living in substandard conditions in the camps where Signal has housed them. They live in isolation with twenty-four men in each cramped “container” unit, with only two bathrooms for all of them. Visitors are not allowed in the camps and workers cannot make any complaints to the company. They are frequently threatened by the company with salary reduction or termination; the latter would compromise the terms of their visa and likely result in deportation. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Last week, Signal conducted a raid of the workers camp. Company representatives entered with armed security guards and took six workers. The company locked the workers in a room and told them they will be sent back to India. One of these workers, who had sold all of his possessions for the H2B visa, ran from guards into a bathroom and emerged with bloodied arms as the result of what witnesses believed to be an attempted suicide. He was taken to a hospital. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">In a statement to local immigrants rights advocates, representatives of the workers said, “We paid money to a U.S. lawyer working on behalf of the company and to Indian recruiters. We have proof of this payment. For some of us, this is a lifetime of earnings in India. We all sold our property and our houses to come and work for Signal. In India we were promised that we will be getting green cards and permanent residency. This was not true. We were given temporary H2B visas which expire on July 31, 2007. We have been treated like animals here. We do not know if we will be extended on a new visa. We cannot recover the money we have spent on the visa in less than two years.” </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Recently, a Punjabi worker was threatened with termination and being sent back to India. Subsequently, he suffered a fatal heart attack, which fellow workers attributed to the stress of the situation. The workers collected money amongst themselves to the send the body back to India. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Despite opposition from Signal, the workers have formed a committee called the Signal H2B Employees Organization. Members of the committee say that workers are still being confined by the company against their will. Two hundred of them are holding vigil outside the room where their fellow workers are locked up in an attempt to monitor the situation and prevent the workers from being sent back to India. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The committee has collected over one hundred-fifty signatures for a statement of support. They demand that Signal International: </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">· Stop the firing of these workers and reinstate the worker who may have attempted suicide. · Release imprisoned workers immediately. · Return the money the workers paid to the company to come to the United States. · Ensure basic human rights and standards for food and accommodation. · Assure that workers are paid the wage they were promised. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">For Further Information: Bill Chandler, Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, (601) 594-3564 Vicky Cintra, Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, (228) 234-1697 or 1698 Saket Soni, Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity, (504) 881-6610 </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The full text of the workers statement follows: </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">"We are more than 300 Indian workers in Pascagoula, Mississippi. We came here from different parts of India with “H2B visas†to work as welders and fitters. Our employer is Signal International LLC, a marine fabrication company in Mississippi and Texas. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">We paid $15,000 to $20,000 to come to the United States. We paid this money to a US lawyer working on behalf of the company and to Indian recruiters. We have proof of this payment. For some of us, this is a lifetime of earnings in India. We all sold our property and our houses to come and work for Signal. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">In India we were promised that we will be getting green cards and permanent residency. This was not true. We were given temporary H2B visas which expire on July 31. We do not know if we will be extended on a new visa. We cannot recover the money we have spent on the visa in less than two years. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">We have been treated like animals here. We have been threatened with termination and salary reduction. We are living in isolation. Visitors are not allowed in the camps. We live 24 men in one container, with two bathrooms for all of us. We cannot make any complaints to the company. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Last month, one of our fellow workers from Punjab was threatened with termination and was about to be sent back to India. The situation gave him so much stress that he had a heart attack. We collected money ourselves to the send the body back to India. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Even with these threats, we have formed a committee to protect ourselves from the company. We are SIGNAL H2B EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION. But the company is not in agreement with this. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Early this morning, the company conducted a raid in the camp. Company representatives came with armed security guards and took six workers. The company locked the workers in a room and told them they will be sent back to India. One of our fellow workers ran into the bathroom. Guards ran after him. This man had sold all of his possessions for this visa. When he came out of the bathroom his arm was ****** – we believe he attempted suicide. He was taken to the hospital. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Right now the workers are still trapped in the room. While you are reading this, 200 of us are standing outside the room where the workers are locked up. We are monitoring to ensure that the company does not force these workers to go back to India. We have collected 150 signatures on the spot. We have formed this committee here to defend ourselves. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">We are dictating this urgent message to a friend on the telephone while we wait for the police and company. </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Please call Signal International ask make the following demands on our behalf: · Stop the illegal firing of these the workers. · Release the imprisoned workers immediately. · Reinstate the worker who was driven to suicide. · Return the money we paid to the company through agents to come to the United States for $15,000 to 20,000 · Give us human standards of food and accomodation. · Assure us that we will be paid at $18.50 as hour as promised.</span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The phone number is (228) 762 0010." </span></span></p><p> <span style="color: black"><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">indiaspora@gmail.com</span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>SOURCE:<a href="http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=031607101206" target="_blank">INDOlink - News & Analysis - 300 Indian H2B visa workers enslaved in Mississippi</a></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p>----------------------------------------</p><p> ----------------------------------------</p><p></p><p>----------------------------------------</p><p> ----------------------------------------</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Vikram singh, post: 52449, member: 1078"] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]New Orleans Indymedia reports that more than three hundred Indian workers in Pascagoula, Mississippi, claim that their employer, Signal International LLC, a marine fabrication company in Mississippi and Texas, is guilty of extreme labor exploitation. The workers are in the United States with temporary “H2B” guest worker visas to work as welders and fitters. They report paying $15,000 to $20,000 to acquire these visas and come to the United States. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]The workers report living in substandard conditions in the camps where Signal has housed them. They live in isolation with twenty-four men in each cramped “container” unit, with only two bathrooms for all of them. Visitors are not allowed in the camps and workers cannot make any complaints to the company. They are frequently threatened by the company with salary reduction or termination; the latter would compromise the terms of their visa and likely result in deportation. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Last week, Signal conducted a raid of the workers camp. Company representatives entered with armed security guards and took six workers. The company locked the workers in a room and told them they will be sent back to India. One of these workers, who had sold all of his possessions for the H2B visa, ran from guards into a bathroom and emerged with bloodied arms as the result of what witnesses believed to be an attempted suicide. He was taken to a hospital. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]In a statement to local immigrants rights advocates, representatives of the workers said, “We paid money to a U.S. lawyer working on behalf of the company and to Indian recruiters. We have proof of this payment. For some of us, this is a lifetime of earnings in India. We all sold our property and our houses to come and work for Signal. In India we were promised that we will be getting green cards and permanent residency. This was not true. We were given temporary H2B visas which expire on July 31, 2007. We have been treated like animals here. We do not know if we will be extended on a new visa. We cannot recover the money we have spent on the visa in less than two years.” [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Recently, a Punjabi worker was threatened with termination and being sent back to India. Subsequently, he suffered a fatal heart attack, which fellow workers attributed to the stress of the situation. The workers collected money amongst themselves to the send the body back to India. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Despite opposition from Signal, the workers have formed a committee called the Signal H2B Employees Organization. Members of the committee say that workers are still being confined by the company against their will. Two hundred of them are holding vigil outside the room where their fellow workers are locked up in an attempt to monitor the situation and prevent the workers from being sent back to India. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]The committee has collected over one hundred-fifty signatures for a statement of support. They demand that Signal International: [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]· Stop the firing of these workers and reinstate the worker who may have attempted suicide. · Release imprisoned workers immediately. · Return the money the workers paid to the company to come to the United States. · Ensure basic human rights and standards for food and accommodation. · Assure that workers are paid the wage they were promised. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]For Further Information: Bill Chandler, Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, (601) 594-3564 Vicky Cintra, Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, (228) 234-1697 or 1698 Saket Soni, Alliance of Guestworkers for Dignity, (504) 881-6610 [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]The full text of the workers statement follows: [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]"We are more than 300 Indian workers in Pascagoula, Mississippi. We came here from different parts of India with “H2B visas†to work as welders and fitters. Our employer is Signal International LLC, a marine fabrication company in Mississippi and Texas. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]We paid $15,000 to $20,000 to come to the United States. We paid this money to a US lawyer working on behalf of the company and to Indian recruiters. We have proof of this payment. For some of us, this is a lifetime of earnings in India. We all sold our property and our houses to come and work for Signal. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]In India we were promised that we will be getting green cards and permanent residency. This was not true. We were given temporary H2B visas which expire on July 31. We do not know if we will be extended on a new visa. We cannot recover the money we have spent on the visa in less than two years. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]We have been treated like animals here. We have been threatened with termination and salary reduction. We are living in isolation. Visitors are not allowed in the camps. We live 24 men in one container, with two bathrooms for all of us. We cannot make any complaints to the company. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Last month, one of our fellow workers from Punjab was threatened with termination and was about to be sent back to India. The situation gave him so much stress that he had a heart attack. We collected money ourselves to the send the body back to India. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Even with these threats, we have formed a committee to protect ourselves from the company. We are SIGNAL H2B EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION. But the company is not in agreement with this. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Early this morning, the company conducted a raid in the camp. Company representatives came with armed security guards and took six workers. The company locked the workers in a room and told them they will be sent back to India. One of our fellow workers ran into the bathroom. Guards ran after him. This man had sold all of his possessions for this visa. When he came out of the bathroom his arm was ****** – we believe he attempted suicide. He was taken to the hospital. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Right now the workers are still trapped in the room. While you are reading this, 200 of us are standing outside the room where the workers are locked up. We are monitoring to ensure that the company does not force these workers to go back to India. We have collected 150 signatures on the spot. We have formed this committee here to defend ourselves. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]We are dictating this urgent message to a friend on the telephone while we wait for the police and company. [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]Please call Signal International ask make the following demands on our behalf: · Stop the illegal firing of these the workers. · Release the imprisoned workers immediately. · Reinstate the worker who was driven to suicide. · Return the money we paid to the company through agents to come to the United States for $15,000 to 20,000 · Give us human standards of food and accomodation. · Assure us that we will be paid at $18.50 as hour as promised.[/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]The phone number is (228) 762 0010." [/FONT][/COLOR] [COLOR=black][FONT=Arial]indiaspora@gmail.com[/FONT][/COLOR] [B]SOURCE:[URL="http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=031607101206"]INDOlink - News & Analysis - 300 Indian H2B visa workers enslaved in Mississippi[/URL] [/B] ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Discussions
Hard Talk
Interviews
300 Indian H2B Visa Workers Enslaved In Mississippi
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
Accept
Learn more…
Top