Blackwater and Colombian workers clash over pay scale (ripoff)

[donsu]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=110329&ran=207256


About three dozen former Colombian soldiers are engaged in a pay dispute with Blackwater USA, saying their salaries for security work in Iraq turned out to be one-quarter what they had been promised by recruiters in Bogota.

The dispute sheds light on the international flavor of Blackwater's work force and the pay disparities that characterize the burgeoning private military industry.

The Colombians say they are earning $34 a day, a fraction of what Blackwater pays its American contractors in the Iraq war zone.

-snip-

According to reports last week in the Colombian news magazine Semana and the Financial Times of London, the 35 Colombians - mostly seasoned counter insurgency troops - alleged in a letter to Blackwater that recruiters had promised them salaries of $4,000 a month.

They said it was only when they were given their contracts barely hours before leaving Bogota that they learned they would be paid $34 a day, or about $1,000 a month.

"We were tricked by the company," one former Colombian army captain was quoted as saying in the Financial Times.
-snip-
------------------------

wasn't Blackwater paying $150 a day in N.O. after Katrina?

guess they thought the Colombians wouldn't read the contracts

[Bozita]

1. Never forget: Blackwater's owner is the stepson of Dick DeVos, Amway heir

DeVos is the GOP candidate for governor of Michigan.

Screwing workers is a family trait.

[TahitiNut]

3. Brother-in-law .... His wife, Betsy (Prince) DeVos' brother.

IIRC

[WhiteTara]

2. uhh. that's couldn't read the contract, but

here's another thought...
the Colombians are now in Iraq and what is to prevent them from changing sides? :shrug:

[donsu]

4. no, I meant 'wouldn't' - do you think they can't read?

nt

[WhiteTara]

5. Of course they can read

but the corporate powers don't think they can, I'm sure the legalize was three pages thick. Of course they can read and now they are mad as hell. Makes me wonder if they will change sides.