It seems the govt. are trying to suppress a report by the International Labour Organisation about forced migrant labour in UK. Not just cockle pickers and the poor sods working for gang-masters packing fruit and veg for supermarkets, but nurses and others working as contracted out cleaners, residential 'carers' etc. for govt. departments.

http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/story/0,7991,1404702,00.html

http://society.guardian.co.uk/asylumseekers/comment/0,8005,1404753,00.html

Keeps the indigenous population in its place by driving down wages. Blair continually brags about our low wage economy and he's making sure it stays like that. Despite his crocodile tears at the Holocaust memorial we also know he has a low regard for human rights.
As for the Chinese cockle pickers, there was a flurry of high profile activity put on for the media for a few days until a better story came up. It was no more than a PR stunt

On the other hand the checks and balances put in place to stamp out cheap labour do seem to be working in this case:

Gang master convicted (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/4232825.stm)

And if you are suprised by this then you are very naive ,the goverment will do all it can to hide its shamefull record on this and other issues.
NEW LABOUR = NEW LIES

Originally posted by max
On the other hand the checks and balances put in place to stamp out cheap labour do seem to be working in this case:

Gang master convicted (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/4232825.stm)
Nice to see that he will get a possible 14 years...which should see him outside in around 7 years maybe earlier.
Not a very good deterant as he has earned millions in people exploitation and will still have his ill gotten money when he gets out.

The number of people that are involved in these operations will carry on regardless as only one has been convicted.....Hardly something to cheer about!

In South Yorkshire thare are companies cashing in on the migrant worker.
Not only has this had an effect on the local population looking for work but is helping to feed the unemployment lines with the locals not willing to work for the minimum wage offered.

Hate to stir things up too much but this illustrates that there are vested interests in maintaining illegal immigration.

If company bosses were made directly responsible for checking the credentials of workers, including agency and subcontracted workers with the possibilty of punitive fines and imprisonment being levied, the problem would disappear tomorrow.
It won't happen because of the economics.

"This means that as an employer you could be guilty of a criminal offence if you employ someone who does not have permission to be in - or to work in - the United Kingdom."
from: http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/preventing_illegal/the_offence.html


Employers ARE required by law to check documents (advice lists are given) to confirm eligibilty of new staff as to their immigration legitimacy.

Originally posted by Delboy3
Nice to see that he will get a possible 14 years...which should see him outside in around 7 years maybe earlier.
Not a very good deterant as he has earned millions in people exploitation and will still have his ill gotten money when he gets out.

The number of people that are involved in these operations will carry on regardless as only one has been convicted.....Hardly something to cheer about!

In South Yorkshire thare are companies cashing in on the migrant worker.
Not only has this had an effect on the local population looking for work but is helping to feed the unemployment lines with the locals not willing to work for the minimum wage offered.

Funny how it seems to be so easy to say that a 14 year prison sentence is not much of a punishment. I can't help thinking that you might not think that if it happened to you.

Originally posted by cgksheff
"This means that as an employer you could be guilty of a criminal offence if you employ someone who does not have permission to be in - or to work in - the United Kingdom."
from: http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/ind/en/home/0/preventing_illegal/the_offence.html


Employers ARE required by law to check documents (advice lists are given) to confirm eligibilty of new staff as to their immigration legitimacy.

Which is why a lot of companies, especially in the food production and packaging sector sub-contract their labour to gang-masters, - it lets them of the hook of having to comply with the working or discrimination legislation because they don't employ the labour directly.

To stamp out the abuses the govt. really need to put some of the onus of compliance onto the top tier who have a reputation to worry about rather than just the fly-by-night gang-masters and employment agencies selling slave labour.