Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Asylum seekersEmployment lawLatest NewsEconomics, government & businessRecruitment & retention

Migrant workers in the UK working under forced labour conditions

by Quentin Reade 4 Feb 2005
by Quentin Reade 4 Feb 2005

Migrant workers in the UK are subject to levels of exploitation and control that meet the international legal definition of forced labour, according to a report from the TUC.

The TUC argues that migrant workers should benefit from the same rights that apply to every other worker in the UK.

It is calling on the government to put more emphasis in its managed migration policies on cracking down on employers who break employment law.

The TUC said its report revealed that migrants who can legally work in this country are ‘shockingly badly exploited’ because they are unable to enforce their legal rights because of the power their employers have over them.

Risks to migrant workers are influenced by a number of factors, including:



  • people here on a work permit can be deported if they lose their job, and employers can sack them if they complain
  • people may be dependent on their employer for accommodation
  • employers may hold passports
  • people may owe their employers for loans taken out to finance their travel or other arrangements
  • employers can intimidate and threaten staff who do not know their rights, have poor standards of English language  and no access to alternative support.

The report, Forced Labour and Migration to the UK, reveals abuse, including very long hours, pay below the minimum wage and dangerous working conditions in a range of sectors including construction, hospitality, agriculture, food processing, horticulture, contract cleaning, nursing and care homes.

The TUC is calling for employees here on a work permit to have more rights to report abuse and change employer, and that employers guilty of abuses should lose the right to apply for work permits for staff.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Tomorrow we will remember the Morecambe Bay tragedy. The government has taken action since then, and we welcome the Gangmasters Bill. But this report shows that more needs to be done.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“The precarious position of those who have no legal basis to work here is well known, but what this report shows is just how much people with every legal right to hold a job can also be so badly exploited that they must count as forced labour,” he said.

www.tuc.org.uk/extras/ForcedLabour.doc

Quentin Reade

previous post
Asda steps up its jewellery, optical and photo centre commitment
next post
Skills council tackles performance standards for retail financial services

You may also like

HMRC releases research on removing salary sacrifice tax...

28 May 2025

Call-handler sues Met Police over reinstatement of offensive...

28 May 2025

WFH for important meeting was acceptable, tribunal rules

28 May 2025

KFC to create over 7,000 jobs

28 May 2025

Consulting giant McKinsey cuts headcount by 10%

28 May 2025

Scrapping Level 7 apprenticeship funding is a ‘major...

27 May 2025

Higher-level apprenticeship funding to be limited to under-22s

27 May 2025

HS2 labour supplier ‘falsely’ declared PAYE to inflate...

27 May 2025

Volvo to cut around 3,000 roles in restructure

27 May 2025

Three ways technology can boost wellbeing outcomes

27 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+