Want to know about some of our most recent work? Read our latest newsletter here 👇 labourexploitation.org/news/july-ne... #construction #outsourcing #fishing #ImmigrationandAsylumBill #decentwork

July 2026 Newsletter: A new briefing, workers define fair work for themselves and more

New FLEX briefing examines structural issues and solutions for the UK’s high-risk construction sector If the UK is to meet its housebuilding goals, hundreds of thousands more workers will be needed in...

labourexploitation.org

Today, we sent a joint letter to the Government and the Fair Work Agency calling for urgent action to end the systemic exploitation of migrant fishers in the UK. These abuses require a coordinated cross-government response. Read the letter here 👇 labourexploitation.org/publications...

Exploitation of migrant fishers in the UK fishing industry: Joint Letter to the Home Secretary

This joint letter was issued to the Home Secretary as a follow up to a join letter sent in November 2024 to raise concerns about the serious human rights abuses experienced by many migrant workers in ...

labourexploitation.org

We continue to push for improved labour standards and protection of workers’ rights across the UK fishing industry. Hear from our Policy Officer, Oska Paul and Chris Williamson @itfglobalunion.bsky.social at @nourishscotland.bsky.social event. Sign up here👇 www.tickettailor.com/events/nouri...

Select Tickets – Fish+ in a Good Food Nation: Livelihoods at Sea – Zoom

Fish+ in a Good Food Nation: Livelihoods at Sea – Zoom, Fri 7 Aug 2026 - Aquatic foods (or fish+ as we like to call them) often get left out of food systems policy and practice. This masks the opportu...

tickettailor.com

In March 2025, Gov made an initial £625 million funding package for up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers by 2029. "Strong Foundations" sets out what is needed to ensure new migration pathways support, rather than undermine, labour standards. labourexploitation.org/publications...

The UK fishing industry relies on migrant fishers but many are recruited through a loophole that leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. A dedicated fishing visa is urgently needed. Read this piece by Oska Paul, our Policy Officer 👇 @freemovement.bsky.social freemovement.org.uk/case-for-a-d...

The case for a dedicated UK fishing visa - Free Movement

A fishing visa would provide a lawful route for recruitment and ensure that fishers have access to the rights afforded to other workers in the UK.

freemovement.org.uk

We are proud to be a signatory on this joint statement, which urges parliamentarians to oppose the Immigration and Asylum Bill and for the government to change course. Read the full joint statement 👇 labourexploitation.org/news/immigra... @atleu.bsky.social @antislavery.org

Immigration and Asylum Bill: Joint Statement

The new Immigration and Asylum Bill will damage modern slavery protections The Immigration and Asylum Bill will significantly weaken the UK’s response to trafficking and modern slavery. It will deny p...

labourexploitation.org

The Immigration and Asylum Bill, published yesterday, is a stark reminder that the UK's immigration system continues to be shaped by cruelty rather than protection. We will continue to work with allies to challenge this approach and advocate for a change in direction. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Mahmood: My reforms will save the asylum system for a generation

New safe and legal refugee routes, alongside reforms to human rights and modern slavery laws, to prevent abuse of the asylum system.

gov.uk

Making it harder for migrant workers to settle is not only bad for workers, it's also bad for the UK. It risks increasing dependency,insecurity and labour abuse in high risk sectors for all workers. Yesterday👉🏽 theguardian.com/uk-news/2026... Our briefing 👇 labourexploitation.org/publications...

Shabana Mahmood’s immigration and asylum bill to go before MPs next week

Refugee charities fear controversial changes, including on forced removals and age checks, are being rushed through

theguardian.com

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY 🗓️ Join us in Glasgow on June 20 for the launch our exhibition ‘Outside In’, featuring the beautiful and inspiring work of migrant photographers, documenting how people from different nations and what they bring to Scotland.

This International Domestic Workers Day, we call on the UK government to reinstate the original domestic worker visa and the corresponding rights. #internationaldomesticworkerday #IDWD #domesticworkers #migrantworkersrights #

New on @labourblog.bsky.social : how “transit loophole” treats migrant fishing workers as if not legally present in the UK, with lack of immigration status creating structural vulnerability and denial of labour rights uklabourlawblog.com/2026/06/16/s... - by Angeli Romero @focusonlabour.bsky.social

Safe Harbour: Dismantling the Legal Fiction of the Transit Loophole – by Angeli Romero

Image by Detmold from Pixabay 1. Introduction Over the last three decades, the UK fishing industry has faced a steady decline in full-time, domestic fishers – a trend largely attributed to the diff…

uklabourlawblog.com

Happy International Domestic Workers Day. Solidarity to all domestic workers and support for the ongoing struggle for recognition as workers with access to rights in practice. @kalayaan.org.uk @voiceofdws.bsky.social

(1/2) The theme of this #RefugeeWeek is ‘#courage’. So we wanted to take a moment to highlight the most courageous people we know. Having experienced human trafficking and migration, our changemakers are now fighting for the rights of others who have been through the same.

Today is the first day of Refugee Week. This week and every week, we stand alongside refugee women - championing their strength, amplifying their voices, and keeping their lived experiences at the heart of everything we do. Today and every day: Refugees welcome! 💜🧡

This #RefugeeWeek we stand with people seeking protection in the UK🧡 The theme this year is 'courage' and at Helen Bamber Foundation, we will keep fighting for the rights of refugees, people seeking asylum, survivors of trafficking and torture. #Courage

Insightful and inspiring to hear from the speakers today. A key takeaway...there is still hope. @kalayaan.org.uk @voiceofdws.bsky.social

Freedom United@freedomunitedhq.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Join our event and hear directly from people with experience about the visa rules that leave overseas domestic workers vulnerable to exploitation and servitude. Chaired by the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Friday, June 12 3 pm UK (10 am ET) Zoom Register: us02web.zoom.us/webi...

📢 Job Vacancy at FLEX! 🔹Communications Officer🔹 Apply by 21st June 👇 labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp... Looking for meaningful communications work? Join the FLEX Team to help change the story on workers' rights. #job #jobvacancy #charitycomms #comms

Job opportunities

Current vacancies: Communications Officer Job title: Communications OfficerLocation: FLEX office, Vauxhall, London – currently operating flexible hybrid working with a mixture of in-person and remote ...

labourexploitation.org

Join us, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner + migrant domestic workers for a webinar on Friday 12 June at 3pm to learn how the Overseas Domestic Worker visa is failing domestic workers 💻Register now: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi... @focusonlabour.bsky.social @freedomunitedhq.bsky.social

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Broken Promises: The visa policy that fails migrant domestic workers. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

Join us and learn directly from people with experience of living under the current visa rules for overseas domestic workers in the UK. With the help of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, we’ll...

us02web.zoom.us

A BBC investigation has uncovered shocking allegations of abuse aboard a Scottish fishing vessel. ITF Fisheries Section Coordinator Chris Williams warns, there is a "structural, systemic problem" in the recruitment of migrant workers in the fishing industry. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

He told us we were slaves - The fight for justice on a Scottish fishing trawler

The migrant fishermen who waited nine years to give evidence about the company that exploited them.

bbc.co.uk

Only a few days until International Domestic Workers Day. We look forward to celebrating with domestic workers around the world as we continue to work with migrant domestic workers in the UK for a visa which enables access to rights in practice. @voiceofdws.bsky.social @kalayaan.org.uk

Research by @biddetention.bsky.social shows dire state of access to legal advice in immigration detention Only 27% of respondents to the Spring 2026 Legal Advice Survey had a lawyer www.biduk.org/articles/new... Inevitably a lack of legal advice impacts trafficking disclosure

New Research: Access to Legal Advice in Immigration Detention Falls to Record Low

Access to legal representation for people held in immigration detention has reached the lowest level ever recorded.

biduk.org

This case underlines the urgent need for proactive monitoring and labour market enforcement action in fishing. This should be combined with the creation of a fishing work visa which would give migrant fishers options to exercise rights in practice. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Skipper admits failure to provide food and rest for seamen

The boat skipper Tom Nicholson Jr pled guilty at Hamilton Sheriff Court to an offence under maritime health and safety regulations.

bbc.co.uk

Job Opportunity: Communications Officer Come join the FLEX team, working with colleagues across the organisation to produce content, manage digital communications channels, strengthen the organisation’s profile, and support media and stakeholder engagement.

🚨 New FLEX Report 🚨 Too often, migrant fishers' lived experiences are not part of the conversation. In "Voices from the Deck: The Workers’ Rights Case for a UK Fishing Visa", we bring their perspectives to the forefront. The stories they tell paint a clear picture:

Great to see the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner @UKAntiSlavery highlighting the crisis happening in fishing in her new report. Migrant workers are forced to operate in a system of dependency that makes them disposable. This must urgently be addressed by policy-makers.

Workers’ rights cannot be contingent on the whims of employers, loopholes or luck. Workers rights must instead be a guarantee, to all workers. This #InternationalWorkersDay, the government must stop making workers disposable. Read our May Day blog: labourexploitation.org/news/interna...

Workers’ rights cannot be contingent on the whims of employers, loopholes or luck. Workers rights must instead be a guarantee, to all workers. This #InternationalWorkersDay, the government must stop making workers disposable. Read our May Day blog: labourexploitation.org/news/interna...

If we were to play a board game where the rules were outright broken, we wouldn’t blame the players; we’d rightfully blame the game itself. So if "irregularity" means failing to meet the visa rules, then we must looks at whether those rules are fair. Read our piece for @freemovement.bsky.social:

Irregular migration status: a systemic problem - Free Movement

From politicians to the media, there is a prevailing narrative that migrants with irregular status have chosen to commit some personal, even moral, failure.

freemovement.org.uk

Free Movement@freemovement.bsky.social · 3mo ago

🧵 1. Many migrants classified as having irregular status entered the UK through formal routes and lost that status through no fault of their own. We've looked at how the immigration system itself drives irregularity.

Domestic work in a private household is a sector with huge risks of exploitation. Workers cannot keep waiting to have basic safety. The government must stop delaying, and must at minimum reinstate the hard-won rights from the original migrant domestic worker visa.

@voiceofdws.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Rights for Migrant Domestic Workers and Mass lobby for Votes For All with Migrant Democracy Project. #restorerights allow migrant domestic workers to renew their overseas domestic worker visa with route to settlement.

The BBC’s claims do not reflect reality. Our organisations see victim-survivors facing suspicion, delays and barriers to safety. Misuse is the exception, not the norm. With 92 organisations, we reject this framing and call for evidence-led change ooted in lived experience.