‘Our supervisor treated us really bad’: Pandemic left vulnerable workers open to abuse and exploitation – report
The economy has always relied on the labour of people whose work is insecure.
But the pandemic left vulnerable workers in precarious and short-term employment at an even higher risk of exploitation, according to a new report seen exclusively by Sky News.
The research, compiled by charity Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), found that reports of exploitative practices increased markedly in the year to July 2021, with low-paid and migrant workers reporting abuses such as wages being withheld, terms and conditions being changed, intimidation and sexual harassment.
It also maintains that the social security system often leaves the most vulnerable “unprotected” with few alternatives and little choice but to accept mistreatment from unscrupulous employers.
The fear is that as winter sets in and the cost of living spirals, people will feel increasingly unable to leave exploitative situations.
The research was undertaken in collaboration with the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and United Voices of the World (UVW), two trade unions supporting workers in low-paid and insecure sectors of the economy.
It found that 44% of members surveyed had their wages withheld at some point during the pandemic.
Nearly a quarter were forced to accept worse terms or conditions and one in five were too scared to take time off sick for fear of losing work.
Ivan Andino is one of them. He is originally from Ecuador and works as a cleaner in an office block in west London.
Office cleaner Ivan Andino claims he was exploited by his employer during the pandemic
He claims that when the pandemic hit and workers in other teams were made redundant, he was expected to pick up the workload of a whole extra person with no extra pay.
He claims that he was harassed when he took a break and wasn’t even allowed to leave the building when on shift.
“They started to intimidate us by watching over us, telling us not to sit down and wanting us to be visible the whole time,” he says.
“It was a bad, stressful time, not just for me but also for my colleagues. The way our supervisor treated us was really bad, they wouldn’t ask for things politely but instead they would just order us around.
“We tried to defend ourselves but since we couldn’t speak the language, we couldn’t do anything more.”
With the help of his union he has since launched a formal grievance against his employer.
The report also found that a significant proportion of workers like this were simply made redundant rather than being furloughed (33%), while one in 10 were simply not given any work.
There are a variety of reasons why workers may be susceptible to exploitative practices. Very low pay and insecure employment might be layered with other vulnerabilities such as language barriers or immigrant status which may restrict someone’s access to welfare. Taken together workers may feel they have no choice but to accept exploitative conditions.
The report also argues that social security safety nets are insufficient to protect the most vulnerable.
Statutory sick pay, for example, is one of the least generous in Europe at just £96.35 per week and it can only be claimed from the fourth day of illness.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Who will be affected by Universal Credit cut?
While the five-week wait for payment as a new Universal Credit claimant means the very poorest face destitution in the meantime.
There are calls to reform these systems, as well as to increase funding for labour standards enforcement.
“When the system allows poor behaviour, poor behaviour happens,” explains Meri Ahlberg, research manager at FLEX and the report’s author.
“It’s not necessarily that employers are bad but they’re under pressure, and if the rules and protections aren’t there and the enforcement isn’t there, then people will be taken advantage of.”
Meri Ahlberg, the report’s author, and a research manager at Focus on Labour Exploitation
Although recent labour shortages might imply there is more choice and bargaining power for workers, the most vulnerable may often feel trapped.
“If you’re working and you know that if you lose your job, you’re not going to have a safety net to fall back on, you’re really loath to let go of that job,” says Ms Ahlberg. “That makes it really hard to assert your rights or complain about poor treatment.”
Thousands of job cuts at the NHS will go ahead after the £1bn needed to fund the redundancies was approved by the Treasury.
The government had already announced its intention to slash the headcount across both NHS England and the Department of Health by around 18,000 administrative staff and managers, including on local health boards.
The move is designed to remove “unnecessary bureaucracy” and raise £1bn a year by the end of the parliament to improve services for patients by freeing up more cash for operations.
NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Treasury had been in talks over how to pay for the £1bn one-off bill for redundancies.
It is understood the Treasury has not granted additional funding for the departures over and above the NHS’s current cash settlement, but the NHS will be permitted to overspend its budget this year to pay for redundancies, recouping the costs further down the line.
‘Every penny will be spent wisely’
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to make further announcements regarding the health service in the budget on 26 November.
And addressing the NHS providers’ annual conference in Manchester today, Mr Streeting is expected to say the government will be “protecting investment in the NHS”.
He will add: “I want to reassure taxpayers that every penny they are being asked to pay will be spent wisely.
“Our investment to offer more services at evenings and weekends, arm staff with modern technology, and improving staff retention is working.
“At the same time, cuts to wasteful spending on things like recruitment agencies saw productivity grow by 2.4% in the most recent figures – we are getting better bang for our buck.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting during a visit to the NHS National Operations Centre in London earlier this year. Pic: PA
Mr Streeting’s speech is due to be given just hours after he became entrenched in rumours of a possible coup attempt against Sir Keir Starmer, whose poll ratings have plummeted ahead of what’s set to be a tough budget.
Mr Streeting’s spokesperson was forced to deny he was doing anything other than concentrating on the health service.
Read more from Sky News:
Russian troops in Mad Max-style video
Shamima Begum ‘should be repatriated’
He is also expected on Wednesday to give NHS leaders the go-ahead for a 50% cut to headcounts in Integrated Care Boards, which plan health services for specific regions.
They have been tasked with transforming the NHS into a neighbourhood health service – as set down in the government’s long-term plans for the NHS.
Those include abolishing NHS England, which will be brought back into the health department within two years.
Watch Wes Streeting on Mornings With Ridge And Frost from 7am on Sky News.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024