http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/britain/gmb_agrees_to_back_immigrant_...
EMPLOYMENT POLICY
MIGRANT WORKERS
75. UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT WORKERS
http://www.gmb.org.uk/files/98741/FileName/FinalAgenda20092.pdf
The GMB Congress 2009 believes that the work registration scheme and civil penalty regime introduced on 29th February 2008 has had serious impacts on employment rights of undocumented migrant workers and may have negative repercussions for their equal access to employment in today’s job market. The increased duties for employers, in monitoring the immigration status of their workers, has thus far had negative impacts on a wide range of
migrant workers, including increased discrimination and exploitation.
The work of the Gangmaster Licensing Authority (GLA) in the agriculture, forestry, horticulture, shellfish gathering and food processing industries focuses on employment inspections with a
view to enforcing workplace standards – an approach which we believe may produce more constructive improvements in working conditions than workplace raids by UKBA officials.
We believe that the civil penalty regime enforcement measure implemented by UKBA will not in any way support a resolution to the position of the 500,000 undocumented migrants estimated
to be resident in the UK, many of whom are working covertly. The losers are both workers and employers in terms of fines to employers and workers losing jobs.
The merits of a one-off amnesty and/or sustainable regularisation to assist workers with documentation and period of grace should be given strong consideration, but this must be done within the context of wider Government efforts to enforce standards governing working conditions. The GMB Union to make representation to Government for fairer and workable legislations.
LONDON HOTEL & CATERING BRANCH
London Region