Received from: ASLEF
This Congress believes that every worker should have the right to freely change employer, join a trade union, and negotiate for better pay and conditions.
Congress notes that the current Skilled Worker Visa scheme removes workers’ rights to freely change employer by tying the visa holder’s right to live and work in the UK to a specific job, while also deliberately holding down wages.
This scheme means migrant workers, particularly in construction and social care, are at huge risk of exploitation and unable to seek higher paid employment or even leave an exploitative job.
Restrictive visas give employers high levels of power over workers and complaining or trying to enforce rights can lead to workers not only losing their job, but also their right to stay and work in the UK.
This Congress welcomes the Labour Party commitment to introduce Fair Pay Agreements in social care and other sectors and believes that fair treatment and full employment rights must cover all workers including migrant workers.
Congress calls on the General Council to:
i. develop materials and training to mainstream equality into all rep work, as well as materials for unions on how to support migrant workers.
ii. challenge the Home Office to introduce tougher restrictions on employers and remove the right to sponsor visas from any employer who is found to abuse overseas workers, while making sure migrant workers do not suffer as a result.
iii. lobby the government to make sure collective bargaining and full employment rights are available to migrant workers.
ASLEF
AMENDMENT
At end of third paragraph, insert new sentence:
“Recent changes to salary thresholds and “shortage occupation” exemptions have further increased uncertainty and insecurity for workers in areas like science, tech and engineering, and risk damaging the UK’s STEM-based sectors.”
Add new bullet point:
“iv. lobby for an urgent review of Skilled Worker Visa rules and their impact on affected workers and sectors.”
Prospect