The Scars of the Erasure_web

Erasure_4a 10.1.11 20:29 Page 172172 THE SCARS OF THE ERASUREBrane and people like him could be described as return migrants and theirexperience as “two-round migration.” Like Brane, many erased people first cameto Slovenia in their youth, as internal migrants who moved from one republic ofthe former common country to another. They were part of a larger group of immigrantswho from the late 1960s on fulfilled the manpower needs of Slovenian companies(Komac and Medvešek 2004, Pezdir 2004, 184–194, Lamberger Khatiband Pezdir 2009, 115–134). Most of them obtained permanent jobs immediately,and many were also provided with company-owned apartments or accommodationin dormitory worker facilities. After the erasure, some left Slovenia, either unwillinglyor willingly (cf. the contribution by Neža Kogovšek in this volume), becausethey could not obtain status. Many among them later returned as migrant workers.In contrast to the situation of thirty years ago, after the erasure they returned toSlovenia on temporary work permits, which made them completely dependent ontheir employers. Instead of living in apartments, as they did in the past, their accommodationwas now much less adequate. And on top of it all, these “two-roundmigrants” were no longer young but over forty. In the meantime, the requirementsfor entering the country, labor rights (including health-related rights) and living conditionsin Slovenia have changed, with only the right to health compensation (orrather the absence thereof) appearing to remain unchanged.It is again Brane’s account that is most illustrative. He first suffered froman injury at work in 1984, then again in 1997, when he returned to Slovenia asa low-skilled worker.I was first injured in 1984, but they did not want [to pay out compensation] …they told me, that it was my fault [...] It hit me here [shows an area slightly abovethe forehead], but the employees of the personnel department went to the doctorand persuaded her not to send me to the hospital for urgent medical treatment. Icould go only to the company doctor. Two or three months later I entered thearmy service and I didn’t get anything for that injury [...]S: So you came back to Slovenia in 1997. Someone arranged a job for you andyou began working again.B: Yes. I worked roughly three years for Mr B. We were renovating a hotel, andwhile we were taking down the radiator, it fell on me and I had cuts all over myface. I presented doctor’s certificates to my boss, for compensation payment, buthe didn’t want to pay even for my sick leave. I wanted to sue him but couldn’t,because he arranged the papers I need to be able to work in Slovenia. [...] Then Iwas dismissed because of the injury.S: And what did you do then?B: A few months later I got a document saying that I must leave Slovenia, so Ihad to go. (Brane, 43)