National Migrant Workers Conference

1
National Migrant Workers Conference

• Lincoln University
• 29 March 2007
• Presentation Sean Bamford TUC

2
TUC Attitude to Migrant Workers

• Overwhelmingly migrant workers have been good
  for the UK
• Seek a fair system by which workers can sell
  their labour
• Within EU we believe that there should be a free
  flow of labour as well as goods and capital

3
Expanding EU

• TUC opposed transitional measures for A8
  supported by CBI and Government
• TUC still opposes transitional measures for A2
  but CBI and Government have changed their position

4
TUC Strategy

• Promote fairness at work
• Stop undercutting of the pay and conditions of
  those already in the workplace
• Prevent the conditions in which xenophobia and
  racism growth

5
A8 Migrant Characteristics

• Less than 18 over 35
• Just over 7 have brought dependents
• 58 on Worker Registration Scheme males
• About 14 have moved to London

6
Migrant Exploitation(1)

• Unlawful deductions from pay
• For Accommodation (of which more below)
• Deductions for travel
• Deductions for tax not passed on to Inland
  Revenue etc
• Overtime not paid (both in terms of time and
  rates)

7
Migrant Exploitation(2)

• Outstanding wages not paid on termination
• In addition
• No control over hours worked
• Agencies obscure the employment relationship
• Debt dependency as well as dependency for
  accommodation

8
Accommodation

• Competition for accommodation with locals
• Creation of dependency
• Means by which further exploitation can be made
• TUC survey showed 31 of A8s found accommodation
  by employers

9
Protection for Migrants

• Legislation
• Lack of scope of GLA
• Short time Working Agency Directive
• Bogus self employment
• Enforcement agencies
• NMW
• HSE
• GLA
• Inland Revenue
• Support from civil society bodies

10
Trades Unions

• 24 of those employed
• 60 in public sector
• 18 in private sector and patchy
• Many migrants working in low skilled areas of the
  Private economy where unionisation is low