migrant workers – Union Newswire

Delegates pledge to challenge exploitation of migrant workers

On the first day of UNISON’s national delegate conference, delegates debated the need to challenge the exploitation of migrant workers, particularly in social care.

Paramedic Glen Carrington, from the NEC, said that, as an immigrant himself, being seen as ‘inferior’ was deeply unpleasant.

Mr Carrington described how, earlier this year, he was called to a care home a number of times and each time, saw a nurse, “dead on her feet”. The third time, he asked if she hadn’t got a home to go to. She explained that she lived upstairs and, when the home didn’t have enough staff, she was called down.

She received no overtime and refusal to work could see her sacked. She was a migrant worker. If she then couldn’t find another job within 12 months, she could be deported.

Mr Carrington was shocked, but unsure whether this was really possible, so he started “digging around” and found that this was happening.

Speaking in support of the motion, a delegate stressed that migrant workers – from outside the EU – contribute £5.2billion to the UK’s economy.

Conference called on the NEC to:

Raise awareness of the migrant worker network
Support the work of branches and regions in organising migrant workers workers with resources and advice
Campaign to improve the rights of migrant workers
Continue to campaign against the ‘hostile environment’.

The article Delegates pledge to challenge exploitation of migrant workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Delegates pledge to challenge exploitation of migrant workers

On the first day of UNISON’s national delegate conference, delegates debated the need to challenge the exploitation of migrant workers, particularly in social care.

Paramedic Glen Carrington, from the NEC, said that, as an immigrant himself, being seen as ‘inferior’ was deeply unpleasant.

She received no overtime and refusal to work could see her sacked. She was a migrant worker. If she then couldn’t find another job within 12 months, she could be deported.

Mr Carrington was shocked, but unsure whether this was really possible, so he started “digging around” and found that this was happening.

Speaking in support of the motion, a delegate stressed that migrant workers – from outside the EU – contribute £5.2billion to the UK’s economy.

Conference called on the NEC to:

Raise awareness of the migrant worker network
Support the work of branches and regions in organising migrant workers workers with resources and advice
Campaign to improve the rights of migrant workers
Continue to campaign against the ‘hostile environment’.

The article Delegates pledge to challenge exploitation of migrant workers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Rising visa fees and reduced student numbers could worsen NHS recruitment crisis, says UNISON

Commenting on new Nursing and Midwifery Council data published today (Thursday), UNISON national nursing officer Stuart Tuckwood said: “It‘s encouraging to see a rise in the number of nurses and midwives registered to work in the UK.

“But the NHS workforce crisis hasn’t gone away. The number of students starting nursing courses this year in England has plummeted by 12%.

“Much more must be done to recruit and keep hold of the health and care staff who are so desperately needed.

“Around half of new nurses are from overseas and without them, the NHS would collapse. Ministers must understand there are consequences to demonising migrant workers, who may choose to simply go to more welcoming countries.

“Nurses already here are considering moving elsewhere, driven away by poor pay and rising visa fees. The language from ministers in recent days will most likely deter others from joining the NHS at all.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Dan Ashley M: 07908 672893 E: d.ashley@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Rising visa fees and reduced student numbers could worsen NHS recruitment crisis, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Rising visa fees and reduced student numbers could worsen NHS recruitment crisis, says UNISON

“But the NHS workforce crisis hasn’t gone away. The number of students starting nursing courses this year in England has plummeted by 12%.

“Much more must be done to recruit and keep hold of the health and care staff who are so desperately needed.

Media contacts:
Dan Ashley M: 07908 672893 E: d.ashley@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Rising visa fees and reduced student numbers could worsen NHS recruitment crisis, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: The shocking treatment of migrant workers harms us all

UNISON has gathered evidence of appalling exploitation of migrant workers by unscrupulous care bosses.

Care is one of the biggest industries in the UK, but also one of the most precarious. It’s broken, on the brink of collapse and only being propped up by the work of migrants.

Workers from abroad have sold everything they own to come here and care for people. But instead of receiving decent pay and conditions, and being treated with dignity and respect, the UK government is letting employers get away with terrible practices that should be consigned to history.

Our report, Expendable Labour details shocking treatment of migrant care workers in the UK care system.

We found the ultimate abuse of workers. Brought over here on false promises of a better life and charged dodgy fees that cost them their homes and savings. Some find they’re either overworked on 80 hours a week, or given too few hours to survive off. Given inadequate training, living in poor conditions and threatened with deportation if they speak out.

To top it off, ministers are demonising migrant workers by blaming them for all the country’s woes. They’re complicit in allowing the abuse to continue and in a raging culture war that’s now targeting low paid migrant workers.

Rather than focusing on fixing social care and ensuring decent pay and care for those who need it, the likes of Robert Jenrick, Minister for Immigration, are happy to see the care system completely collapse. His suggestions of capping visas for care workers and his desire to prevent them from bringing children or other dependent family members with them, will only make the problems in care worse.

Any increase on the current 152,000 care staff vacancies spells deep trouble for the whole sector.

So we’re calling on the government to take urgent action to stop that from happening.

Immigration reform and the creation of a national care service are the answer.

Visa extensions would allow care workers more time to seek employment with a new sponsor, and a national care service would ensure decent pay, terms and conditions to prevent abuse and exploitation.

Fixing social care ultimately means guaranteed support for those who need it. But it would also help to grow our economy. And what better way to do it, than through a national care service that everyone can be proud of.

The article Blog: The shocking treatment of migrant workers harms us all first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Blog: The shocking treatment of migrant workers harms us all

UNISON has gathered evidence of appalling exploitation of migrant workers by unscrupulous care bosses.

Care is one of the biggest industries in the UK, but also one of the most precarious. It’s broken, on the brink of collapse and only being propped up by the work of migrants.

Our report, Expendable Labour details shocking treatment of migrant care workers in the UK care system.

Any increase on the current 152,000 care staff vacancies spells deep trouble for the whole sector.

So we’re calling on the government to take urgent action to stop that from happening.

Immigration reform and the creation of a national care service are the answer.

Visa extensions would allow care workers more time to seek employment with a new sponsor, and a national care service would ensure decent pay, terms and conditions to prevent abuse and exploitation.

The article Blog: The shocking treatment of migrant workers harms us all first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON condemns government plans to hike visa fees for migrants

UNISON has condemned the government’s plans to hike the fees charged to migrant people for visa applications.

The cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge – a double tax migrant workers have to pay to access healthcare – is set to increase from £624 to £1,035 a year for each person.

This is a 417% increase over the past five years. Work visas are set to increase by 15% and the cost of other visas could rise by 20%.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claims that this will fund public sector pay rises.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “The government announcement to hugely increase the charges for migrant visas and the immigration health surcharge will push more people into poverty.

“Migrant workers make an immense contribution to public services day in, day out through their hard work and tax contributions, just like other UNISON members.

“They should be made to feel welcome and treated with respect, not punished for the failure of this government to fund public services properly.”

UNISON has long campaigned to reduce visa fees and abolish the Immigration Health Surcharge, which was introduced in 2014 as part of former home secretary Theresa May’s ‘hostile environment’ for migrants.

Workers who are on the Health and Social Care Visa (skilled worker) will not be affected by the rise in surcharge. The cost of this visa is also set to increase however.

Health and social care workers who are on other visas will have to pay the surcharge up front, but be able to claim a refund on the costs.

Ms McAnea continued: “Migrant workers already experience high levels of costs when renewing visas. UNISON has seen first-hand the impact this has had on members.

“We heard distressing cases of UNISON members working on the pandemic front line going without food so they could feed their children after visa renewals left them with no money. Visa fees don’t just hit bank balances – it leaves families destitute.”

Speaking to the Guardian, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said: “The UK already effectively taxes migrants twice for healthcare and has some of the most extortionate visa fees in Europe – a migrant family of four often has to pay about £50,000 over 10 years for the right to stay.

“This massive increase is simply unaffordable – it will price workers out of affording a visa and force thousands further into poverty during the cost of living crisis, or out of the country.”

UNISON works with the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) to provide immigration advice to members who have come to work in the UK. If you would like to get some advice please call us on 0800 0 857 857 and we’ll arrange an appointment for you.

The article UNISON condemns government plans to hike visa fees for migrants first appeared on the UNISON National site.