Dowbrigade Guilty of White Slavery?

An interesting,
in-depth article appeared in the Washington
Post this week about the
prevalent practice of third world diplomats in the United States bringing
domestic servants to Washington and New York on work visas and keeping
them in virtual slavery under the same payment arrangements and terms
they are accustomed to paying in their home countries.

In many cases these nannies, cooks and housekeepers have been employed
for the same families for years, but of course the miniscule wages and
horrendous working conditions they are used to at home are clearly illegal
in the US.  In addition, in the worst cases the foreign workers
are subject to physical, emotional and sexual abuse, their passports
are confiscated and they are threatened with imprisionment or retaliation
against family members still in their countries if they go to the authorities.

The sad truth is that economic conditions and unemployment are so bad
in many of these countries (including Ecuador) that poor workers are
willing to work for almost nothing at home. When they are brought to
the US, they sign ficticious contracts for the benefit of US authorities
and visa requirements, but are still actually paid almost nothing and
kept under virtual house arrest.

The most injust aspect of the whole affair seems to be that even when
these workers escape or are rescued, legal steps against the perpatrators
is often impossible, as they are protected by diplomatic immunity.

How does this relate to the Dowbrigade? In our current hideout in beautiful
beachside resort of Manta, Ecuador, we employ an indigenous woman to
come to our apartment once a week and wash our clothes and clean the
apartment.  We
found her through our host family, a middle class college professor who
also employs the same woman once a week for the standard local wage for
domestic employees – $6 a day, for about 6 hours of work, plus lunch.

When we offered to pay a bit more ($7), we were admonished by Norma
Yvonne and our host that this was a very bad idea, as it would set a
dangerous precedent and cause problems between them and their domestic
employees. We are therefor reduced to slipping the very nice woman the
extra dollar as a tip after every day she works.  Of course, she
gets the extra benefit of chowing down on the Dowbrigade epicurean delights,
like our Beef Stroganoff, which is unknown in these parts and surely
worth a bit extra.However, we can’t help but feel a bit guilty to adapt
so easily to the local economic facts of life.

What would Miss Manners have to say about this one?

from the Washington Post