UNITELANDWORKER Comment


Unite supports grass roots sports


Bev Clarkson Unite national officer


Food, drink and agricultural sector UNITE HOPE FOR MIGRANT WORKERS


This summer might be over but controversies over the use and reported abuse of migrant labour most certainly is not.


Agriculture and food production is a big user of migrant labour – both seasonal and permanent.


But I believe the exploitation of migrant workers is part of a much bigger picture. At the end of the production chain, are our biggest supermarkets, driving down prices and working conditions for these workers.


Support your local team – from I to r: Peter Corbett , head coach, Merkinch Football Academy, Jayden Wallace, under 17 player, Marc Jackson, Unite regional officer, Lynn Zagorski, Unite member services administrator and Lewis Glass, under 15 player


Grass roots sports teams are at the heart of many communities, and Unite has a long history of supporting teams through the members’ involvement and sponsorship, writes Keith Hatch.


This season Unite in Inverness have decided to support the Merkinch Football Academy by sponsoring it to the tune of £1,000.


The Academy delivers football activities and creates volunteering opportunities for young people living in one of the oldest and most deprived areas of Inverness. The money aims to help with the development of the Academy, which involves pupils at Merkinch Primary School and youth teams playing in the Inverness Street League.


Head coach Peter Corbett leads a team of seven coaches, and is delighted with the support from Unite, whose logo will appear on the strips of the Street League sides.


He said, “We could not ask for a better sponsor in the Unite trade union as it fits perfectly with what we are trying to achieve within the academy – working united as a team. The sponsorship will help us greatly in providing football coaching in our community for children from Primary 2 upwards.”


Unite Regional Officer, Marc Jackson, said, “We’ve been so impressed with the Merkinch Football Academy and are delighted to support such a go-ahead initiative. We hope our sponsorship will help the coaches to build on the great work they are doing in their community.”


Marc would encourage other branches to support local teams and charities especially in rural areas. “What better way is there than to help out local sports teams and charities and to demonstrate what a union is about,” he added.


5 uniteLANDWORKER Autumn 2023


Supermarkets are pushing down efficiencies through their supply chain, particularly in the agricultural sector. In effect they’re cutting food producers’ margins, which are then pushed onto workers’ wages and working conditions.


Supermarkets go to manufacturers and squeeze costs dramatically. They’ll put up prices to maximise profit for shareholders. They aren’t interested in consumers. Food manufacturers are forced to agree to lower costs. Supermarkets have a stranglehold, so if a manufacturer says no, they’ll go to someone else. Manufacturers then do the same to their suppliers.


In the end it falls to migrant workers picking the produce. Many seasonal workers are undocumented migrants, earning less than the minimum wage. .


All migrant workers face difficult challenges. But there are workplaces where migrant workers on permanent visas have joined Unite and seen their working lives change dramatically. That is down to some incredible persistence, resilience and dedication by remarkable Unite reps, many of whom are migrant workers themselves and who have been through the very difficult stages of adapting to life in the UK food production industry.


These Unite reps go above and beyond to bring help and support of the union to the migrant workers who need us. We meet three such Unite


reps from two workplaces in this issue – Monique Mosley from Greencore and Dave and Istvan Imre from 2Sisters. But there are very


many more brilliant reps throughout our sector – and countless more migrant workers in desperate need of hope, our help and support.


Let’s get them into Unite and raise standards for all food workers.


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