More needs to be done to support migrant workers in the new Employment Rights Bill, a labour exploitation charity has urged.
Focus on Labour Exploitation has said that the newly announced bill must urgently address immigration restrictions that put migrants with restrictive visas at high risk of exploitation.
The charity said that while employment rights were in dire need of strengthening in a range of areas, the UK must actively support access to rights for migrant workers. Without more provisions in this area, workers were left in the “exact same level of unacceptable risk as they have been”, it said.
It claimed that restrictive visas had created a two-tier workforce in which migrant workers faced significant barriers in enforcing their rights, creating a “race to the bottom in terms of pay and conditions”.
“Workers on restrictive and temporary visas have spoken up, at significant risk to themselves, about the risks created when they cannot challenge exploitation for fear of having their visa cancelled and being made destitute,” said Kate Roberts, head of policy at FLEX.
“From the use of temporary visas in agriculture and domestic work, to dependencies resulting from the Health and Social Care Worker visa, to fishing where there are ever more examples of systematic exploitation, the case for reform is clear.”
The charity has put forward a briefing to policymakers regarding components that the bill should adopt, including enabling all migrant workers to access rights and the need for a fairer and clearer way of enforcing employment regulations.
It will continue to have discussions with government to provide insights, advice and recommendations.
“Until the government addresses temporary and restrictive visas, they are only widening the gap between workers, entrenching the UK’s tiered workforce and leaving migrant workers in the dust,” said Roberts.
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