Low-skilled, vulnerable workers are at risk of exploitation because of lax labour laws. The government's Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) found rules were either not being properly enforced or were being flouted by employers. Non-payment of the minimum wage and other cases of exploitation have become more "pervasive" since 2007. Agencies tasked with tackling exploitation were weak and underfunded. This affected both British and migrant labour with low skills, it found.
In 2013, there were 2.1m people from abroad working in low-skilled jobs. Just over half of those were born outside the European Union. The MAC report found that, nationally, such migrants had "not had a major impact" on pay, jobs, crime or public services and the wider UK economy over the last 20 years. Low-skilled migration from the EU since 2004 has had virtually no impact on the overall employment rate of UK-born workers but has had a "small" negative impact on the wages of low-paid British workers. Businesses which often could not attract British workers benefited from migrant labour. 13m low-skilled jobs in the UK - 16% (2m) of which are filled by migrants.
Committee chairman Prof Sir David Metcalfe told the BBC: "If the migrant workers are getting exploited it means that the British workers are less attracted to the employers.”
Employers could expect a minimum wage compliance visit from HMRC inspectors just once in 250 years. Statistically, they could expect to be prosecuted for breaching labour laws only every million years.
In 2013, there were 2.1m people from abroad working in low-skilled jobs. Just over half of those were born outside the European Union. The MAC report found that, nationally, such migrants had "not had a major impact" on pay, jobs, crime or public services and the wider UK economy over the last 20 years. Low-skilled migration from the EU since 2004 has had virtually no impact on the overall employment rate of UK-born workers but has had a "small" negative impact on the wages of low-paid British workers. Businesses which often could not attract British workers benefited from migrant labour. 13m low-skilled jobs in the UK - 16% (2m) of which are filled by migrants.
Committee chairman Prof Sir David Metcalfe told the BBC: "If the migrant workers are getting exploited it means that the British workers are less attracted to the employers.”
Employers could expect a minimum wage compliance visit from HMRC inspectors just once in 250 years. Statistically, they could expect to be prosecuted for breaching labour laws only every million years.
No comments:
Post a Comment