The news once again shines a spotlight on an uncomfortable reality: an undocumented worker suffers a serious accident on a construction site while his boss prioritizes profits over his safety. The lack of a regular contract enables these abuses, and society tolerates the system that generates them. Labor inspections are scarce, and the regularization of immigrants remains a pending issue.
How technology can expose undeclared work 🛠️
Tools such as geolocation systems in helmets or activity sensors in machinery can record workers' presence in real time. This data, linked to Social Security databases, would allow inspectors to detect construction sites with unregistered personnel without prior notice. Anonymous reporting platforms using blockchain could guarantee whistleblower protection, preventing retaliation. Technology is not the problem; the political will to apply it is.
The exemplary boss: prefers a profit over an ambulance 🚑
Apparently, for some employers, the undocumented worker is like a piece of furniture: useful as long as it works and easy to replace if it breaks. Of course, when the furniture falls off the scaffolding, it turns out it has no right to sick leave, but rather a medical bill that no one pays. Next time, perhaps the boss should calculate the cost of an inspection versus the cost of a funeral. Spoiler: the inspection is cheaper, but it requires a change in priorities.