Condition and treatment of migrant workers (Polish) in the UK Presentation by Adam Rogalewski OPZZ/ UNISON For Decent Work for Migrant Workers in Precarious Situation in EU 27 Gdansk (Poland), September 2011

Key points on migration to the UK *: Between 1993 and 2009 the foreign-born population in the UK almost doubled from 3.8 million to nearly 7 million. During the same period, the number of foreign nationals** increased from nearly 2 million to 4.3 million. In 2009, the UK population was 11% foreign-born (up from 7% in 1993) and 7% foreign nationals (up from 3.6% in 1993). 18% of British population is migrants. Since 1995 the percentage increase of the share of migrants in the total population has been larger in regions where absolute numbers of migrants were small. In 2009 over a third of all foreign-born migrants (2.6 million people) were living in London where they constituted 34% of the total population. Recent migrants are more dispersed throughout the UK India is the most common country of birth among foreign-born migrants, but Poland tops the list of foreign nationals in the UK *The Migration Observatory based on data from Labour Force Survey **In the UK context, anyone who does not have British citizenship.

Top ten sender countries of migrants by country of birth and nationality, UK 2009 Source: Labour Force Survey UNISON Migrant Workers Unit Largest senders Country of birth Percenta ge share National ity Percenta ge share 1India9.9Poland12.3 2Poland7.0India8.1 3Pakistan6.0Pakistan4.1 4Ireland5.8 United States 3.3 5Germany4.4 South Africa South Africa 3.3France3.1 7 United States 2.7Italy2.9 8Nigeria2.5Germany2.9 9Jamaica2.2Nigeria2.9 10Kenya1.9Portugal2.5

Much of the increase in migrant labour had come from Central Eastern European countries after EU enlargement in 2004 Substantial numbers also coming from outside the EU to fill vacancies in UK labour market.

Essentially migrants comprise a large and growing body of public service workers. Number of UK care workers for instance will grow over the next 20 years by 400,000 nearly 20% are migrants

There is evidence both from UNISON and other organisations that migrants are vulnerable and exploited by unscrupulous employers

UNISON Migrant Workers Unit Two types of migrants: 1. Mobile workers from the EU (EU citizens) 2. Migrants from outside the EU.

Migrant are vulnerable due to the current legislation and their status UNISON Migrant Workers Unit Only non- EU migrants: immigration law -their work permits depend on their current jobs. If they loose their job they will loose the right to stay in the UK. All migrants: little or no job security- bogus self-employment temporary agency contracts zero hours contracts fixed temp contracts outsourcing in public service

UNISON Migrant Workers Unit However, Agency Workers Directive 2008/104/EC will come into force from the 1 st October The main benefit for the workers of this regulation is that after 12 weeks in a given job an agency worker would have an entitlement to equal treatment (at least the basic working and employment conditions that would apply to the worker concerned if they had been recruited directly by that undertaking to occupy the same job). It was agreed that occupational social security schemes would be outside the equal treatment provisions* Source: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

UNISON Migrant Workers Unit UNISON is opposing proposed by the government changes in immigration law which aim to reduce net migration (the most recent one are on settlement rights and family unification) UNISON was against any restrictions on rights to work in the UK for citizens from the EU countries. Those restrictions are now only applying to workers from Bulgaria and Rumania.

UNISON supporting workers and mak UNISON supports migrant activists UNISON was recruiting migrant members but not producing activists who were migrant workers This left UNISON: Unrepresentative Insensitive

How - First step Get information - map the problem Raise awareness Issues  How many in membership  How many active  Barriers

How - Research findings Barriers for migrants  cultural  linguistic  fear UNISON Barriers  Migrants in privatised workplaces where organisation weak  Meetings can be inaccessible  Jargon  Lack of focus

How - The next steps Work with migrants to build confidence and understanding – ESOL and Pathways Network migrants and with migrant groups Seconded organiser from Polish union OPZZ Developed links with Migrant Community Groups – Polish and Filipino + others

How - The next steps Talent spotting used to identify people to go on the course working with community groups and networks Course was supported by colleagues with relevant language skills and avoided jargon and complex written material Built confidence by exploring differences and talking about participants skills Talked about what they did in their own community

Results  Over 70 new migrant worker activists  Around 600 new migrant worker members were recruited by Project and new migrant worker activists  Migrant workers became more actively involved in the Conferences and other democratic processes.

Lessons Learned Migrants represent an important part of the workforce. They need union protection. Migrant activists bring in more migrant worker members through there involvement in their community.

Plans for future UNISON Migrant Workers Unit Polish activists in UNISON set up in June 2011 a network of Polish activist in UNISON (PAN). PAN receives support both from UNSION and the Federation of Poles in the UK – umbrella organisation for all Polish community groups in the UK and from the Polish embassy. There is also Filipino activists network in UNISON. PAN has about 100 activists and the number is still growing. Migrants decide by themselves what they want to get out from the union and what they expect from it.

UNISON Migrant Workers Unit Adam Rogalewski