06 Sep 07

Thousands of Polish and Lithuanian workers are being exploited by their UK employers according to a report by Compas, a research centre at Oxford University. Since 2004 when 10 new states joined the EU, more than 600,000 Polish and Lithuanian workers have come to the UK to work in sectors like hospitality, construction and food processing. The study shows that most had found insecure and poorly paid employment, with more than half of those surveyed experiencing problems at work.

A quarter of the workers in the study reported having no written contract and over a quarter had faced problems with payment: not being paid for hours worked; discrepancies between payslips and money paid; and unauthorised deductions and errors in the pay calculations. Ten times as many migrants as indigenous workers were paid less than the minimum wage.

The study also uncovers that nearly a third of migrants were living in accommodation provided or arranged by the employer (often at a cost). As a result, migrants reported that they were working excessive hours and experiencing poor living conditions.

Lead author of the report Dr Bridget Anderson from Compas said: 'The government needs to look at agency working and the provision of accommodation. A large number of respondents are living in accommodation which is in some way connected with their employer. This impinges on their freedom to organise and negotiate with the employer for better working conditions.'

To tie in with the Compas research, the TUC has published 'Living and working in the UK: your rights', a guide written with the Citizens Advice service, with migrants from Eastern Europe in mind. Half the guide gives useful advice and tips for new arrivals on living in the UK, the remainder concentrates on issues that might cause problems at work.