The government is to investigate evidence gathered by the BBC that migrant workers are being trafficked into Britain and exploited. (...) Undercover Lithuanian journalist Audrius Lelkaitis, working as part of the BBC News investigation, posed as a migrant worker seeking a job in the UK. He discovered a new underclass subjected to deception, systematic underpayment and appalling living conditions. (...) Mr Lelkaitis paid hundreds of pounds to agencies in Lithuania and London in return for the promise of a job in Hull which did not exist. After being offered work with licensed gangmasters Focus Staff Limited in Hull he was paid below the minimum wage two weeks in arrears. After three weeks, he received £97 for 20 hours' work in his first week, although £50 was deducted for accommodation costs. He also had money deducted for accommodation without it being shown on his payslip, which is illegal, and was forced to live in overcrowded accommodation. Paul Whitehouse, who chairs the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority, told BBC 2's Newsnight: "It's two hundred years since slavery was abolished. We mustn't allow it to continue now."
After three weeks, he received £97 for 20 hours' work in his first week, although £50 was deducted for accommodation costs. He also had money deducted for accommodation without it being shown on his payslip, which is illegal, and was forced to live in overcrowded accommodation.
Paul Whitehouse, who chairs the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority, told BBC 2's Newsnight: "It's two hundred years since slavery was abolished. We mustn't allow it to continue now."
And form a TUC press release;
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: "The TUC is shocked by this exploitation of migrant workers which is tantamount to modern slavery, and has formally asked the Government to investigate Focus Staff Limited, the gangmasters involved. "This case underlines TUC concerns about the deregulation of agency workers, which allows rogue employers to flourish. Too many unscrupulous bosses are getting rich by exploiting migrant workers and the full force of the law should be used against those profiting from such appalling ill treatment. "Everyone should be treated fairly and with dignity and respect, wherever they come from. Unions will be stepping up their efforts to recruit migrant workers to protect them from employers who seek to deny them a fair day's work for a fair day's pay."
"This case underlines TUC concerns about the deregulation of agency workers, which allows rogue employers to flourish. Too many unscrupulous bosses are getting rich by exploiting migrant workers and the full force of the law should be used against those profiting from such appalling ill treatment.
"Everyone should be treated fairly and with dignity and respect, wherever they come from. Unions will be stepping up their efforts to recruit migrant workers to protect them from employers who seek to deny them a fair day's work for a fair day's pay."
We're entirely too happy to follow the US model of basing our prosperity on the abuse of vulnerable immigrants.
The EU (in collaboration with the member states) should have launched information campaigns on the workings of the single market targeted at the population in the accession countries. It may not be pointless to do it now, but for many of these people it's 3 years too late. "It's the statue, man, The Statue."
But it is hard to get hold of all these workers who are being exploited and get the information out to them. The TUC have travelled to other countries such as Poland to disseminate info about workers rights at career fair type events.
A much stronger network is needed to support migrant workers with finding work and accommodation and making them aware of their right around terms and conditions etc and helping to avoid them falling into the hands of people who exploit and abuse. I've seen people get themselves trapped through exploitation and be too afraid to make a fuss or leave.
Not easy to prevent exploitation given that plenty of British people have no idea what their rights at work are either. Ad astra per aspera
