Athens 2004 Employs Illegal Ghanaians, Others

Kathimerini reports that between 50 and 70 per cent of those working on Athens 2004 construction sites are illegal immigrants from countries in Eastern Europe and the third world - including Ghana.

The 11,000 workers are illegally working overtime without safety precautions or social insurance.

Georgios Theodorou, the Secretary-General of the builder workers trade union said the unqualified and cheap workers from foreign countries are exploited by their employers because they do not have a Green Card. They cannot protest that they are underpaid and not insured.

Kathimerini reports that the workers receive a daily wage of between 15 and 70 euros. Domestic workers and welders receive the top salary.

Specialized craftsmen from Poland and Bulgaria receive 40 to 50 euros a day. Assistants from Pakistan, Iraq, Bangladesh and Ghana get only 15 to 30 euros daily.