Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 4th June. UN human rights experts on Monday have expressed concern about the labour exploitation faced by migrant workers in the Great Britain including “deception, exorbitant recruitment fees, debt bondage, undignified living conditions, and potential deportation.”
The experts said they have received allegations that migrants are being deceived about “working and living conditions and the nature of their agreements with employers in the agricultural or care sectors.”
“This is unlawful and highlights the need for urgent reform of the current system governing labour migration, to ensure effective protection of the rights of migrant workers,” they said.
UN experts are concerned about shortcomings of the Seasonal Worker Scheme a system implemented in response to labour shortages in the UK.
They said some “scheme operators” which are licensed recruitment companies will recruit migrants to work on farms or in poultry production and some will illegally charge them upwards of £3,000 to become employed, leaving the migrants in bondage.
They noted that migrants are promised work in the agricultural or care sector before arriving in the country, but later learn there is no job for them.
UK Government has revoked the licenses of “non-compliant” employers in the care sector experts said there is no protection for employees who lose their jobs due to these revocations.
They said many employees may later face deportation while others may become victims of trafficking and exploitation.
“Currently, too many temporary migrant workers have been in a legal limbo for too long and risk becoming destitute.”
Special rapporteurs said the UK government needs to “hold scheme operators accountable through effective supervision and audits, as well as regular labour inspections on farms, protecting against human rights abuse by business enterprises domiciled in its territory, in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”
They said people exploiting labourers should be prosecuted, while justice should be guaranteed for victims.
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