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
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Foreign Workers in Israel
SUNYSERIES INISRAELISTUDIES
Russell Stone, editor
Foreign Workers in Israel
Global Perspectives
ISRAELDRORI
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
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For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu
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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