In response to the raised concerns that labour immigration will increase modern slavery risks, Sheona York of Kent Law Clinic said:
‘The reported concerns that new immigration rules may lead to an increase in modern slavery inadvertently draws attention away from existing exploitation of foreign workers and the nations that provided them.
‘In Britain’s austerity-based low-wage economy, years of deep cuts in local authority funding have reduced the pay and conditions of social care workers, making it hard for residents with families and housing bills to survive in those jobs. Thus the sector becomes dependent on foreign workers.
‘Low wages in the rest of the economy mean food prices must be kept low, which similarly prevents farmers and food processers offering wages sufficient to afford local housing and support a family, so those sectors become dependent on seasonal foreign workers unable to establish roots. Some employers care little about the legal status of their workforce and some may seek out illegal, more docile, workers.
‘This type of labour immigration effectively perceives the rest of the world as a “reserve” in which workers already educated, trained and experienced in their own country will be permitted to work precariously in the UK, on worse terms than UK workers.
‘Worse, because on time-limited visas with conditions attached, and are likely to be precluded from settling in the UK. This means no putting down roots, falling in love, accidental pregnancies, or protection in case of changed circumstances. This is not that far from the situation of Filipina domestic workers in Singapore facing regular pregnancy tests and deportation if found pregnant. Even an immigrant earning over £30,000 (currently required under Tier 2 Immigration Rules) is legally ‘precarious’ and thus not equal to British colleagues.
‘This suits employers looking to gain access to immigrants willing to work for low wages, often avoiding workplace regulation such as the minimum wage, or the anti-tax-dodging measures which come from the employment of illegal workers.
‘Any restriction of the legal nature of a person’s access to the labour market enables exploitation. We therefore need a combined demand for better education and training for people residing in the UK, whether British or foreign, settled or otherwise, with equal civil and economic rights for, at least, anyone the British economy cannot do without.’
Sheona York supervises students working on clients’ immigration and asylum cases at The University of Kent’s Law Clinic. She also works closely with local NGOs and refugee charities and contributes to academic and public debate on immigration issues.
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