I was absolutely shocked and disgusted to read a recent BBC News article of suspected illegal migrants living in a car scrapyard in the North West of England. The migrants were found sleeping in mobile homes and shipping containers at a car salvage yard in Oldham, Greater Manchester, during a recent raid. They had not only been living in desperately poor conditions onsite, but also working in the scrapyard for just £2.50 an hour, according to immigration officials. The workers were being expected to strip down cars so that the firm operating the site, could sell on the components as green parts.
As much as this example is shocking, this business is in no way representative of the vehicle recycling industry as a whole, but it does demonstrate how the popularity in Green Parts is creating a newer market where unscrupulous people may be looking to exploit others to make a quick profit.
To add another element, I was disturbed on how this news piece had been written by the BBC. The journalistic emphasis was definitely on the illegal migrants being the criminal focus here, not the trafficking gangs, criminal organisations or even the scrapyard owners who all took their pound of flesh and who inevitably were the main contributors to those vulnerable men ending up in that Oldham Scrapyard. All five migrants were arrested in a crackdown on illegal immigration and are in the process of being deported, and yet there is no mention of the business owners, the part they played, and possible sanctions they can expect to face. It almost felt like the business owners had not done anything really criminal. And yet the hard reality is that the firm can expect to face a fine of up to £100,000 if found guilty of employing people with no right to work in the UK.
I find it shocking that we live in a society where for many, money is king, and where an increasing number of people appear to be morally bankrupt, willing to happily tread on others in order to make a few extra quid tax-free. Taking advantage of the vulnerable, and exploiting fellow human beings for their own financial gain. They are people that either lack the acumen to run a business above board, or they are motivated by selfish greed. Either way, they should be avoided at all costs, and if there's enough of us avoiding them, then hopefully these firms will quickly have no customers to stay in business. We all are aware of the exploitation that happens but this was particularly shocking for me as it was on home turf and within the industry that I work. There is no room for people like this in our industry. We should all be looking out for it, and if you witness it, don't turn a blind eye, report it. If car parts are being advertised too cheaply then there's usually a reason why. If you have a suspicion, call it out for what it is. #modernslavery
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