‘Unite and fight for it’

As Labour Party delegates held a debate on the final day of conference on Wednesday (September 25) about immigration, Unite delegate Neelam Verma explains why she and her union stands with migrant workers in the comment piece below.

Unite has worked hard to organise migrant workers. They are some of the most exploited and abused workers in this country – especially in sectors such as food and agriculture, hospitality and services such as cleaning and catering.

The fight for migrant rights is a fight for all of us as a class issue – opposing racism and attacks on migrants, and being clear that the exploitation of migrants is enabled by our de-regulated labour market.

Millions of workers across the country know that existing free movement arrangements have not worked for them and have been taken advantage of by the worst employers. Greedy bosses have abused migrant workers as part of their drive to push down the wages and conditions of all.

Laura Pidcock is doing vital work on how a Labour government would have a Minister for Employment Rights.

Labour will, for example, put forward comprehensive labour market regulations, and will repeal unnecessary anti-trade union laws and overwrite them by creating new and stronger rights for all workers and trade unions, including sectoral collective bargaining.

A Labour government is within touching distance if we unite and fight for it. It would turn our race-to-the-bottom system into a rate-for-the-job society.

This is needed not just by migrant workers, but all workers.