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Building support for migrant workers - Frances O'Grady's speech

Issue date
Building support for migrant workers

Speech by TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady

11 December 2006

Let me begin by saying this is a hugely important conference on a hugely important issue.

One that goes right to the heart of what kind of economy we have, what kind of society we live in, and what kind of future we want for Britain.

There's no doubt migrant workers make a massive contribution to our economy, public services and national life.

And while some have a positive experience of working in Britain, the day-to-day reality many face is exploitation, dangerous working conditions, and employment far below their skill level.

Often compounded by a lack of English, little awareness about basic rights, and public prejudice.

The horror stories are sadly all too familiar, but that doesn't make them any less shocking.

Like the two Filipino women being paid £75 for an 80-hour week at a Norfolk care home.

The Portuguese man and his pregnant wife working on a farm in Lancashire, sharing a house with 17 others, and left with just £6 a week to live on after deductions.

The Polish and Lithuanian flower pickers in Cornwall, packed eight to a caravan and charged £50 a week for the privilege, some working for 70 hours a week.

When police raided the site, they found some of the workers were left with just 21 pence a week after expenses.

This is not some Dickensian nightmare - this is happening here and now, in Britain, in 2006.

Our challenge - the trade union movement and partner organisations together - is to fight these terrible injustices whenever and wherever they occur.

To build support for migrant workers - among them some of the most vulnerable in Britain - both in our workplaces and in our communities.

The TUC's position is clear.

In a global economy, we support freedom of movement for workers.

And we believe the only way to prevent terms and conditions from being undercut, and to prevent exploitation of migrant labour, is through stronger rights, better enforcement of the law, and trade union organisation.

Whether they are from Warrington or Warsaw, Burnley or Bucharest, Lancaster or Lagos, all workers should be treated with respect, treated equally and paid a decent, living wage.

That way, nobody loses out.

A simple principle - but one that should inform our work at every step of the way.

So in practical terms, what do we need to do to build support for migrant workers?

Well, I believe there are three main dimensions to this - all closely connected.

First - building union support.

Second - building public support.

And third - building policy support.

Let me say a few words about each in turn, starting with the vital role we in the trade union movement can play.

It is no exaggeration to say that the best protection migrant workers can have is the protection of a trade union.

After all, our mission in life is to look after people at work.

But with fewer than a quarter of migrant workers currently belonging to a trade union, it's clear we must step up our organising efforts.

It can be done.

Across the UK, many unions are doing really innovative work to reach out to migrant workers.

Unison's Overseas Nurses Network in Scotland.

GMB's 'Reaching out to new communities' project in the Eastern Counties.

USDAW's scheme in the Midlands to provide ESOL courses to distribution workers.

UCATT's groundbreaking work with Polish building workers in the North East.

And the T&G's work with migrant workers right across England, the fruit pickers in Hereford, the meat packers in Exeter, and the baggage handlers in Luton.

The challenge, of course, is to take this work onto the next level.

To make sure it is the norm not the exception across the trade union movement.

Because unions need migrant workers - and more importantly, migrant workers need unions.

But we know we can't do it alone.

That's why we in the trade union movement must build closer alliances with the many organisations who are concerned with the welfare of migrant workers and immigrants generally.

Earlier in the year, the TUC held a joint conference with the East of England Development Agency to discuss just that.

The good news was that a lot of joint work is already taking place.

The bad news was that it is needs much greater co-ordination and resourcing.

One thing's for sure.

By working together, we can be much more than the sum of our parts.

So all of us - unions, NGOs, citizens' advice bureaux, charities, welfare organisations, community groups - must redouble our efforts to work in partnership towards a common goal.

Fairness for migrant workers.

We in the unions can do our bit in the workplace; you can do yours in the wider community.

And that's absolutely vital.

Because across the UK, we must fight a battle for hearts and minds.

And that really takes me onto the second main point.

The need to build public support for migrant workers.

While many people have welcomed migrant workers to these shores, the response from other sections of the population has ranged from indifference to outright hostility.

Public opinion has been horribly distorted by tabloid scaremongering about migrant workers swamping Britain, stealing our jobs, overwhelming our public services and dragging down wages.

So it's up to us to restore some sense of balance; to educate and to inform; to separate fact from fiction.

Fact: migrant workers put more into the public coffers than they take out.

Fact: migrant workers make a net contribution to our economy of £2.5 billion.

Fact: migrant workers have increased our economic growth rate by as much as one per cent.

Fact: migrant workers have not caused unemployment to rise in the areas where they are concentrated.

Fact: migrant workers are vital not just to our economic competitiveness, but to the delivery of our public services.

One in three doctors, one in six dentists and one in 10 nurses were trained overseas.

A quarter of academics are non-British.

Almost 3,000 workers in care homes have come from the new EU member states.

So when Richard Littlejohn or Melanie Philips next spouts their predictable bile about housing cheats, health service tourists, benefits scroungers and all the rest of it, let's put them bang to rights.

But it's not just the media who we need to stand up to.

We need to challenge the political establishment too.

And that takes me onto my third and final point.

Building policy support for migrant workers.

Let me say at the outset that we welcome much that this Labour government has done.

Encouraging migration into Britain from the EU accession countries in particular, and recognising both the economic and social contribution migrant workers make.

However, the TUC was disappointed by the recent decision to impose restrictions on the rights of Bulgarians and Romanians to come to the UK when their countries join the EU.

And while we welcome measures such as the Gangmasters' Licensing Act, more - much more - remains to be done on the legal front.

Better protections for temporary workers and posted workers.

Action against bogus self-employment.

Employment rights from day one, for all workers.

And much more rigorous enforcement regime, so that bad bosses can't get away with it.

Put simply, open access to our labour market must be accompanied by a stronger framework of rights.

Don't let anyone say you can't have both.

This is a circle that can be squared.

Just look what has happened in the Republic of Ireland.

Its response to migration has been the development of a social agreement between unions, employers and government.

Retaining support for an open labour market - but only with significantly improved employment rights and enforcement arrangements.

That has got to be the way forward here.

The TUC is delighted that ministers have made positive noises about the Irish system, and we look forward to constructive dialogue on that in the weeks and months ahead.

But I want to end by issuing another challenge to government.

A few months ago, it decided to end free English language training to everyone except those on means-tested benefits and tax credits.

At a time when record numbers of migrant workers are in the UK - many of whom are being exploited because their English is perhaps on par with my Polish - we believe that is a profoundly backward step.

Rather than scaling back provision, we should be expanding it.

So today I urge ministers to reconsider their decision.

Remember the contribution migrant workers make to our national life.

Remember that many are working below their skill level, and could make an even greater contribution, for want of a few hours free English tuition.

And remember that this is a small investment that would be repaid many times over.

So together, let us keep campaigning for ESOL training free at the point use.

Together, let us win a better deal for Britain's migrant workers.

Together, let us make a difference where it is needed most.

Thank you.

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