n By Hajera Blagg
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“If the employer is abusive, they’ve got nowhere to go. That’s because leaving the employer means you’re left with no income, and no possibility of working elsewhere. If the employer also provides accommodation, then, as was the case with Julia, you’re left homeless as well.”
Steve said that while Unite FDA has sought to support migrant workers directly through recruitment, he noted that the union faces many challenges.
“A big challenge is identifying these workers, because they’re living in isolation on farms and very much kept away from any kind of community,” Steve explained. “Language is also obviously a barrier, as is the fact that they’re temporary workers, so after five or six months, they’ve gone home and their membership lapses. For us as a union, it’s difficult to put resources into recruitment. But we are clear that any worker is always welcome to join Unite.”
Despite the challenges, Unite remains undaunted in its efforts to support seasonal migrant workers. In 2023, Unite joined organisations including the TUC, the Landworkers’ Alliance and others to form the Seasonal Worker Interest Group. This alliance is working to secure improvements to the SWS visa to safeguard migrant workers.
Unite is also now working with the Edinburgh-based organisation, the Worker Support Centre, to develop a new app to support migrant workers on the seasonal worker visa. The app will be available in several languages, and it will signpost workers to resources that inform them of their rights in the UK.
“The app is in part about educating people about their rights, but it will also let migrant workers know that we’re here for them, and that we can help them if they’re being abused or exploited,” Steve said.
19 uniteLANDWORKER Summer 2025
“It’s fantastic that Unite is at the forefront of this work. We need to work together to end the exploitation that is happening in our sector.”
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The biggest problem with the SWS… is that workers are tied to one employer. If the employer is abusive, they’ve got nowhere to go. That’s because leaving the employer means you’re left with no income, and no possibility of working elsewhere
Steve Leniec, Unite agricultural chair
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