The points of view presented to you in “Slaves in Tulsa” illustrate some issues related to global stratification. Some common points of view that people have about this type of issue are:

Some people believe that people who come from less developed nations and work in the US for less than minimum wage may do so because they are better off than they would have been had they stayed in their home country. Further, some suggest that it is beneficial to the economy of the US to have workers who work for less than minimum wage and who perform jobs that other Americans do not want to do, while others believe that it is detrimental to American workers who feel that these people are taking their jobs. Some also believe that when you come to the US for work, under any circumstances (documented or undocumented), then you should be protected under the law and given the same rights as all.

Your task is to think about the reading and answer the following two questions.  You must write your answers in the first person, you can respond to the two questions separately or in a five-paragraph essay, and your answers to the two questions must have at-least 600 words in total.

What are the ethical issues presented in the reading?

What ethical responsibility would/do you have regarding this information?

Slaves in Tulsa

Could slave still exist in the United States?  According to Kevin Bales, the United States imports about 50,000 slaves every year.  In February 2002, the Midwestern city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was shocked to learn that they had slaves working in their midst.  Workers recruited by a Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, company signed contracts for labor overseas.  Many paid the company a fee of more than $2,000 to gain employment in the United States.  Workers flew to Tulsa where they worked as welders for an industrial equipment manufacturer.

These workers left their country with a promise of long-term residency, good jobs, and high pay.  What they found was significantly different.  The group lived in barracks on the factory grounds, sometimes working 12-hour days and earning as little as $2.31 an hour.  The company’s food was substandard, and many workers had to share beds because of a shortage of space.  In the dormitory, a sign stated that workers who left the grounds could be sent back to India and the armed guards patrolled the grounds.  Many also reported verbal threats and deliberate intimidation to keep the workers on the property.

After the workers were found, the U.S. firm claimed they were not involved in slavery and any fault was that of the Mumbai labor company.  The corporation claimed that the workers were merely temporary trainees, so they did not deserve the minimum wage or other employment benefits.  The court saw the matter differently and found the company guilty of exploiting the workers through human trafficking.  A fine of $1.2 million provided about $20,000 for each worker.

After the case broke, many local community members helped the Indian workers find legitimate jobs, and immigration hearings allowed them to legally stay in the country.  This case has a happy ending, largely because it occurred in a country with a free press and a strong government.  Unfortunately, most contract labor occurs in countries without either of these two important components.