"We Are the Lifeline of France" Strike of Undocumented Workers

500 Illegal Immigrant Workers in the Paris Metropolitan Area Strike
"Exploited with Low Wages... Immigrants Are the Lifeline of Society"

Amid rising public sentiment in Europe for the 'deportation of immigrants' due to security concerns, undocumented workers in France have gone on strike demanding residence permits.

According to reports by daily Lib?ration and others on the 17th (local time), about 500 foreign workers employed in Paris and the Seine-Saint-Denis region in France went on strike, claiming that "large corporations exploit the vulnerabilities of undocumented workers."

Anti-pension reform protest held in Paris, France last June
[Photo by Reuters]

These workers, in undocumented status, have been receiving low wages of around 400 to 600 euros (approximately 570,000 to 850,000 KRW) per month while working for subcontractors of 33 companies in construction, logistics, cleaning, and distribution sectors. France's minimum wage in 2023 is about 1,709 euros (approximately 2.44 million KRW) per month.

The majority are temporary workers such as garbage collectors, delivery workers, and construction laborers, including workers involved in building the gymnastics venue for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Simbala Sibebe (33) from Mali in West Africa stated, "I was employed using someone else's ID," and added, "I worked for six months doing painting and wall filling, earning 60 euros (about 85,000 KRW) a day."

A 31-year-old cleaner from Mauritania also explained, "I earn 400 to 600 euros (about 570,000 to 850,000 KRW) a month working a few hours a day. It's not enough to live on, but (employers) know we have no choice."

He said, "On workdays, I sign a piece of paper, they take me to the site, and after cleaning, they give me a pay slip and leave. Even if I ask for a contract, they do not give it back."

Illegal immigrant workers mobilized for the construction of the gymnastics venue for the 2024 Paris Olympics occupy the site in a strike.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

They declared their intention to occupy construction sites until the government grants their residence permit requests. Daouda Kamara (38) lamented, "Being undocumented means stressing about getting stopped at checkpoints on the way to work, being fired without reason by the boss at work, and hoping not to have to leave French soil on the way home."

The French left-leaning labor union CGT expressed support for their strike in a statement, saying, "Immigrants make up 40 to 62% of domestic helpers, construction and public works, hotel and restaurant, cleaning, and security sectors in the ?le-de-France region (the Paris metropolitan area)," and added, "This strike will demonstrate that immigrants are the lifeline of French society."

Earlier, the French government submitted an immigration law amendment allowing special residence permits for foreigners working in labor-shortage sectors. Analysts suggest that the strike aims to influence the Senate's bill review scheduled for the 6th of next month. However, since the majority in the Senate, the right-wing Republicans (LR), oppose it, the bill's passage is expected to be difficult.

Islamic Extremist's 'Teacher Assault'... Security Threats Expand

Soldiers deployed in the counter-terrorism military exercise 'Operation Sentinel' held on the 18th (local time) in Paris, France. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, on the 13th, an incident occurred at a high school in Arras, northern France, where an undocumented immigrant from the Russian Chechen Republic wielded a weapon, killing a teacher, intensifying calls for 'overseas deportation.' The perpetrator was suspected of Islamic extremist tendencies and was reportedly on the French government's list of potential threats.

Additionally, due to the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, 14 French airports faced terror threats in one day on the 18th, spreading security threats across Europe.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, stated on the same day, "Member states should have the authority to forcibly deport individuals deemed a threat to national security," signaling plans to strengthen measures for the forced deportation of undocumented immigrants.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.