Worker Registration Scheme extended for 2 years

Despite evidence that the Worker Registration Scheme leads to violations of human rights, putting vulnerable workers at more risk of exploitation and abuse, the UK Government has decided to extend the scheme for a further two years.
In a press release issued today, Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas was “delighted to announce keeping in place [...]

Worker Registration Scheme: ‘abuse of human rights’

More questions, more calls for it’s abolition, but no answers yet on the WRS

The MP for Glasgow South West has submitted a written question as to the future of the WRS, on behalf of a Glasgow Polish residents association. We await a response from the Minister.
Meanwhile, the Lords have been asking questions, amid evidence that [...]

End of the Worker Registration Scheme?

About 10 months ago I wrote a post on the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS), speculating on it’s planned demise come May 1st 2009.
As May Day approaches, that old post has been getting more and more hits;  presumably people are searching the web trying to find out if the WRS really is about to end. Is [...]

Research: Migrant impact on UK jobs and wages negligible

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has published a new study suggesting that European migration since EU expansion in 2004  has had no negative impact on either UK employment levels or wages – in fact there may have been a small positive impact.
The Economic Impacts of Migration on the UK Labour Market study is [...]

Scottish Migrants Network Conference at STUC

Workers Rights are Migrant Rights!
Scottish Migrants Network Hosts Conference at STUC
As the recession begins to bite across Scotland it is vital that all workers, including migrants, are aware of their rights at work. The Scottish Migrants Network (SMN) sponsored a half-day conference for migrant workers and support organisations in Scotland to share policy and practice [...]

Switzerland opens borders to Bulgarian and Romanian workers

From EUobserver: Swiss voters on Sunday (8 February) overwhelmingly approved the extension of the free movement of workers to Bulgarian and Romanian citizens.
According to official figures, 59.6 percent of voters were in favour, despite a strongly anti-immigrant No campaign run by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), depicting foreigners as black crows picking at the [...]

EU sanctions against employers of undocumented migrants

New European Union rules aim to crackdown on employers who expolit undocumented migrant workers, but migrant rights groups are worried that the imminent legislation retains the focus on the status of the migrant, rather than the exploitation by the employer.
Under the Employers Sanctions Directive, employers hiring undeclared workers would face sanctions, including fines and paying [...]

Crusade against the undocumented

Every day, across the UK, aggressive raids are being carried out at workplaces to root out those without papers.
Britain’s ethnic restaurant sector is under attack from government officials who, in their single-minded drive to meet ever higher targets for deportation, have no interest in the impact of their policies on small family businesses or the [...]

EU states open up to Bulgarian, Romanian workers

The New Year has brought with it the lifting of restrictions for Bulgarian and Romanian workers in Greece, Spain and Denmark, but a number of EU states will be keeping barriers to their labour markets for three more years.
Greece on Wednesday (31 December) became the latest “old” EU member to lift restrictions for Bulgarian and [...]

Criminalising migration in Europe

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights for the Council of Europe, writes in New Europe of the current wave of xenophobia in Europe, criminalising irregular migrants – including those seeking political asylum – under the guise of managed migration policies.

The Commissioner recommends member states to accede to the 1990 International Convention on Migrant Workers, the most comprehensive, international treaty on migrant workers reaffirming and establishing basic human rights. To date it has been ratified by four and signed by two Council of Europe member states, even though many European countries actively participated in its drafting.