Support for migrant workers
Support for migrant workers
Author
Introduction
Two million workers across the UK do not receive sick pay because they earn too little to qualify. Many of these people are migrant workers, including cleaners who work short shifts at unsociable hours and who have multiple jobs. As a result, they do not earn above the lower earnings limit of £120 a week per employer to be eligible for statutory sick pay.
2022 Award
Amanda Walters (CF 2018) is the founder of the Centre for Progressive Change, a community organisation that brings people together to take action on a range of issues, which Amanda founded as a result of her Fellowship. As part of this work, Amanda created the first Labour Community Alliance for the cleaning industry in the UK. Supported by one of our Covid-19 Action Fund grants in 2020, she undertook research listening to the issues of 350 cleaners across the UK and discovered that the most pressing issue for them right now is the lack of sick pay they receive. Many reported going into work ill or straight after a major operation, just so that they could keep paying the bills.
Amanda has been awarded one of our Activate grants to pilot a campaign to change national policy on sick pay. The grant will support staff to deliver a national campaign to raise awareness of this issue across organisations and the media, in order to influence policymakers and change legislation. It will contribute to the training of 150 cleaners and other low-income workers to becomes spokespeople in telling their story and speaking to the press; support three trade unions to identify high profile employers where workers do not receive full sick pay and support them to change this; and organise a team of 20 cleaners and community organisations in three different areas to take public action on sick pay, including meeting with their local MPs.
Amanda hopes that the campaign will raise awareness of this issue and gain the support of cross-party MPs who will actively champion this cause within Parliament. Following the pilot, she will evaluate its outcomes and explore further opportunities for using the Labour Community Alliance as a vehicle for change and a voice for migrant workers in the UK.
Amanda’s Fellowship explored ways to build a powerful movement of low-wage migrant workers and was supported by the Linbury Trust.
2022 Award
Amanda Walters (CF 2018) is the founder of the Centre for Progressive Change, a community organisation that brings people together to take action on a range of issues, which Amanda founded as a result of her Fellowship. As part of this work, Amanda created the first Labour Community Alliance for the cleaning industry in the UK. Supported by one of our Covid-19 Action Fund grants in 2020, she undertook research listening to the issues of 350 cleaners across the UK and discovered that the most pressing issue for them right now is the lack of sick pay they receive. Many reported going into work ill or straight after a major operation, just so that they could keep paying the bills.
Amanda has been awarded one of our Activate grants to pilot a campaign to change national policy on sick pay. The grant will support staff to deliver a national campaign to raise awareness of this issue across organisations and the media, in order to influence policymakers and change legislation. It will contribute to the training of 150 cleaners and other low-income workers to becomes spokespeople in telling their story and speaking to the press; support three trade unions to identify high profile employers where workers do not receive full sick pay and support them to change this; and organise a team of 20 cleaners and community organisations in three different areas to take public action on sick pay, including meeting with their local MPs.
Amanda hopes that the campaign will raise awareness of this issue and gain the support of cross-party MPs who will actively champion this cause within Parliament. Following the pilot, she will evaluate its outcomes and explore further opportunities for using the Labour Community Alliance as a vehicle for change and a voice for migrant workers in the UK.
Amanda’s Fellowship explored ways to build a powerful movement of low-wage migrant workers and was supported by the Linbury Trust.