Focus on Labour Exploitation
@focusonlabour.bsky.social
Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) is a research and policy organisation working towards an end to labour exploitation.
This weekend, we sat down with outsourced cleaners from @iwgbunion.bsky.social working in some of London's biggest high-street shops.
In our workshops, workers consistently flag the huge gap between what brands think is happening, and what workers actually experience every day.
In our workshops, workers consistently flag the huge gap between what brands think is happening, and what workers actually experience every day.
November 25, 2025 at 9:52 AM
This weekend, we sat down with outsourced cleaners from @iwgbunion.bsky.social working in some of London's biggest high-street shops.
In our workshops, workers consistently flag the huge gap between what brands think is happening, and what workers actually experience every day.
In our workshops, workers consistently flag the huge gap between what brands think is happening, and what workers actually experience every day.
Last week, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position on the Omnibus I package, voting to further weaken the corporate sustainability package by watering down company obligations and reducing the number of businesses required to report on their sustainability.
November 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Last week, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position on the Omnibus I package, voting to further weaken the corporate sustainability package by watering down company obligations and reducing the number of businesses required to report on their sustainability.
ICYMI: FLEX's briefing "Rooted in Justice: Reimagining migration into UK agriculture" reviews essential changes to the seasonal worker scheme, making the system safer and fairer for migrant workers.
In our latest briefing, FLEX applies its blueprint for migration systems to migrant agriculture workers in the UK.
Our conclusion: overhaul the Seasonal Worker Scheme, and introduce essential changes to ensure workers' safety and dignity.
Our conclusion: overhaul the Seasonal Worker Scheme, and introduce essential changes to ensure workers' safety and dignity.
November 19, 2025 at 12:05 PM
ICYMI: FLEX's briefing "Rooted in Justice: Reimagining migration into UK agriculture" reviews essential changes to the seasonal worker scheme, making the system safer and fairer for migrant workers.
Reposted by Focus on Labour Exploitation
Keeping people temporary makes it harder to find work and more difficult to challenge exploitation if in work. Further limiting support for asylum seekers will increase destitution & remove options creating huge risks of exploitation. This policy making is cruel and will do much harm
The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively cruel, and will drive labour exploitation.
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
FLEX Statement on Asylum Reforms: Forcing Exploitation or Destitution – FLEX
Following today’s announcement from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, FLEX CEO Lucila Granada made the following statement: “The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively…
labourexploitation.org
November 17, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Keeping people temporary makes it harder to find work and more difficult to challenge exploitation if in work. Further limiting support for asylum seekers will increase destitution & remove options creating huge risks of exploitation. This policy making is cruel and will do much harm
The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively cruel, and will drive labour exploitation.
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
FLEX Statement on Asylum Reforms: Forcing Exploitation or Destitution – FLEX
Following today’s announcement from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, FLEX CEO Lucila Granada made the following statement: “The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively…
labourexploitation.org
November 17, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The proposed changes to refugee protection in the UK are performatively cruel, and will drive labour exploitation.
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
Read FLEX's statement on the Home Secretary's asylum reform: labourexploitation.org/news/flex-st...
These dangerous changes will make migrants' lives unstable, driving them into less visible, less regulated work contexts.
The risk of exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery will only grow.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
The risk of exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery will only grow.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Asylum seekers only allowed to stay in the UK temporarily, Mahmood to announce
Shabana Mahmood promises ‘the most significant changes to our asylum system in modern times’ in Monday speech
www.independent.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 12:26 PM
These dangerous changes will make migrants' lives unstable, driving them into less visible, less regulated work contexts.
The risk of exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery will only grow.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
The risk of exploitation, trafficking and modern slavery will only grow.
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
Reposted by Focus on Labour Exploitation
This month, @kalayaan.org.uk Voice of Domestics Workers & @focusonlabour.bsky.social prepared a briefing, endorsed by us and other organisations.
The call was to reinstate the original Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa in the upcoming legislation.
jcwi.org.uk/resource/uk-...
The call was to reinstate the original Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa in the upcoming legislation.
jcwi.org.uk/resource/uk-...
Why the UK must reinstate the original Overseas Domestic Worker visa
jcwi.org.uk
November 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
This month, @kalayaan.org.uk Voice of Domestics Workers & @focusonlabour.bsky.social prepared a briefing, endorsed by us and other organisations.
The call was to reinstate the original Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa in the upcoming legislation.
jcwi.org.uk/resource/uk-...
The call was to reinstate the original Overseas Domestic Worker (ODW) visa in the upcoming legislation.
jcwi.org.uk/resource/uk-...
In our latest briefing, FLEX applies its blueprint for migration systems to migrant agriculture workers in the UK.
Our conclusion: overhaul the Seasonal Worker Scheme, and introduce essential changes to ensure workers' safety and dignity.
Our conclusion: overhaul the Seasonal Worker Scheme, and introduce essential changes to ensure workers' safety and dignity.
November 12, 2025 at 4:01 PM
In our latest briefing, FLEX applies its blueprint for migration systems to migrant agriculture workers in the UK.
Our conclusion: overhaul the Seasonal Worker Scheme, and introduce essential changes to ensure workers' safety and dignity.
Our conclusion: overhaul the Seasonal Worker Scheme, and introduce essential changes to ensure workers' safety and dignity.
In 2024, we launched the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Pilot in fishing in the UK, to meaningfully improve the protection of rights and working conditions of migrant workers in fishing.
Read our statement marking the conclusion of this pilot: labourexploitation.org/news/advocat...
Read our statement marking the conclusion of this pilot: labourexploitation.org/news/advocat...
Advocating for UK Migrant Fishers in 2026 and beyond – FLEX
In 2024, we launched the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Pilot in fishing in the UK, to meaningfully improve the protection of rights and working conditions of migrant workers…
labourexploitation.org
November 12, 2025 at 1:42 PM
In 2024, we launched the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Pilot in fishing in the UK, to meaningfully improve the protection of rights and working conditions of migrant workers in fishing.
Read our statement marking the conclusion of this pilot: labourexploitation.org/news/advocat...
Read our statement marking the conclusion of this pilot: labourexploitation.org/news/advocat...
This #TrusteesWeek we are thanking the FLEX Trustees that steer and support our organisation.
As well as supporting FLEX, our Trustees also do incredible work too, from pioneering legal cases to breakthroughs on social care.
As well as supporting FLEX, our Trustees also do incredible work too, from pioneering legal cases to breakthroughs on social care.
November 3, 2025 at 4:16 PM
This #TrusteesWeek we are thanking the FLEX Trustees that steer and support our organisation.
As well as supporting FLEX, our Trustees also do incredible work too, from pioneering legal cases to breakthroughs on social care.
As well as supporting FLEX, our Trustees also do incredible work too, from pioneering legal cases to breakthroughs on social care.
"When the immigration rules make staying in that job a workers’ best option, the worker will stay, even if they are being exploited."
Read @focusonlabour.bsky.social and others commenting on modern slavery in this new piece from @opendemocracy.net
Read @focusonlabour.bsky.social and others commenting on modern slavery in this new piece from @opendemocracy.net
Kavin came here to work. He ended up a modern slave.
Kavin came here to work. He ended up a modern slave.
Revealed: UK’s employment visas are causing thousands of legal migrant workers to end up in modern slavery
bit.ly
November 3, 2025 at 2:50 PM
"When the immigration rules make staying in that job a workers’ best option, the worker will stay, even if they are being exploited."
Read @focusonlabour.bsky.social and others commenting on modern slavery in this new piece from @opendemocracy.net
Read @focusonlabour.bsky.social and others commenting on modern slavery in this new piece from @opendemocracy.net
We’re working with Peers on the latest immigration bill to ensure that migrant workers can report labour abuses without fear of deportation: labourexploitation.org/publications...
Why is this needed?
Why is this needed?
October 31, 2025 at 9:09 AM
We’re working with Peers on the latest immigration bill to ensure that migrant workers can report labour abuses without fear of deportation: labourexploitation.org/publications...
Why is this needed?
Why is this needed?
Reposted by Focus on Labour Exploitation
Great to see B. Hamwee's amendment calling for Secure Reporting tabled at Report Stage of the Border Security, Immigration & Asylum Bill. This is key to support encourage victims and witnesses of crime including labour exploitation to seek help labourexploitation.org/app/uploads/...
labourexploitation.org
October 29, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Great to see B. Hamwee's amendment calling for Secure Reporting tabled at Report Stage of the Border Security, Immigration & Asylum Bill. This is key to support encourage victims and witnesses of crime including labour exploitation to seek help labourexploitation.org/app/uploads/...
The big hole in the new Employment Rights Act is that some workers still have to risk deportation to report labour abuses.
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
Unnumbered amendment to Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament
Baroness Hamwee's amendment After Clause 48 () to Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, proposed during Report stage
bills.parliament.uk
October 29, 2025 at 10:46 AM
The big hole in the new Employment Rights Act is that some workers still have to risk deportation to report labour abuses.
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
So pleased that Baroness Hamwee is supporting our call for migrant workers to be able to report bad employers without fear: bills.parliament.uk/bills/3929/s...
This week, our team spent two days in Brussels with the @picumofficial.bsky.social network, sharing perspectives and discussing what works when it comes to meaningfully engaging people with lived experience.
October 23, 2025 at 12:22 PM
This week, our team spent two days in Brussels with the @picumofficial.bsky.social network, sharing perspectives and discussing what works when it comes to meaningfully engaging people with lived experience.
Last night's BBC Radio 4 feature Abused for Our Food looked at the exploitation of agriculture workers.
The evidence base is clear: short-term, restrictive visas create systematic risks of exploitation. Seasonal migrant workers need better conditions, and safe means to report abuse.
The evidence base is clear: short-term, restrictive visas create systematic risks of exploitation. Seasonal migrant workers need better conditions, and safe means to report abuse.
October 22, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Last night's BBC Radio 4 feature Abused for Our Food looked at the exploitation of agriculture workers.
The evidence base is clear: short-term, restrictive visas create systematic risks of exploitation. Seasonal migrant workers need better conditions, and safe means to report abuse.
The evidence base is clear: short-term, restrictive visas create systematic risks of exploitation. Seasonal migrant workers need better conditions, and safe means to report abuse.
Reposted by Focus on Labour Exploitation
Always wonderful to spend time with @voiceofdws.bsky.social
This weekend @focusonlabour.bsky.social staff met with Voice of Domestic Workers to discuss the intersecting challenges of employment and migration.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
October 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Always wonderful to spend time with @voiceofdws.bsky.social
This weekend @focusonlabour.bsky.social staff met with Voice of Domestic Workers to discuss the intersecting challenges of employment and migration.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
October 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This weekend @focusonlabour.bsky.social staff met with Voice of Domestic Workers to discuss the intersecting challenges of employment and migration.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
We also looked at how the government's upcoming Fair Work Agency needs to work, for domestic workers to be able to work without risk of exploitation.
This #AntiSlaveryDay, preventing labour exploitation for migrant workers must be at the top of the workers’ rights agenda.
This requires not small tweaks, but understanding and resolving the systematic barriers to reporting and tackling exploitation.
Watch our latest video:
This requires not small tweaks, but understanding and resolving the systematic barriers to reporting and tackling exploitation.
Watch our latest video:
October 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This #AntiSlaveryDay, preventing labour exploitation for migrant workers must be at the top of the workers’ rights agenda.
This requires not small tweaks, but understanding and resolving the systematic barriers to reporting and tackling exploitation.
Watch our latest video:
This requires not small tweaks, but understanding and resolving the systematic barriers to reporting and tackling exploitation.
Watch our latest video:
We know that workers on the Seasonal Worker Scheme often have to pay to work, from travel costs to illegal fees.
These changes bounce workers back and forth, with accumulating migration costs and increased risk.
Workers should simply be able to renew their visas if work is available.
These changes bounce workers back and forth, with accumulating migration costs and increased risk.
Workers should simply be able to renew their visas if work is available.
October 15, 2025 at 12:13 PM
We know that workers on the Seasonal Worker Scheme often have to pay to work, from travel costs to illegal fees.
These changes bounce workers back and forth, with accumulating migration costs and increased risk.
Workers should simply be able to renew their visas if work is available.
These changes bounce workers back and forth, with accumulating migration costs and increased risk.
Workers should simply be able to renew their visas if work is available.
This Anti-Slavery Week, Marissa of Voice of Domestic Workers writes for FLEX, exploring the history of the Overseas Domestic Worker visa, and what essential changes are needed for workers to challenge exploitation and slavery.
Read the blog here: labourexploitation.org/news/anti-sl...
Read the blog here: labourexploitation.org/news/anti-sl...
Anti-Slavery Day 2025 Guest Blog: Marissa Begonia, Voice of Domestic Workers – FLEX
Marissa Begonia, Director of Voice of Domestic Workers, explores the history of the Overseas Domestic Worker visa, and what essential changes are needed for workers to challenge exploitation and slave...
labourexploitation.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:03 PM
This Anti-Slavery Week, Marissa of Voice of Domestic Workers writes for FLEX, exploring the history of the Overseas Domestic Worker visa, and what essential changes are needed for workers to challenge exploitation and slavery.
Read the blog here: labourexploitation.org/news/anti-sl...
Read the blog here: labourexploitation.org/news/anti-sl...
When women on the Seasonal Worker Scheme were asked if they had ever been paid lower than promised, 27% said yes. 16% of men said the same.
That isn't just a blip. The government must address the ways that women on the scheme are pushed to the margins of an already-precarious workforce.
That isn't just a blip. The government must address the ways that women on the scheme are pushed to the margins of an already-precarious workforce.
October 8, 2025 at 2:34 PM
When women on the Seasonal Worker Scheme were asked if they had ever been paid lower than promised, 27% said yes. 16% of men said the same.
That isn't just a blip. The government must address the ways that women on the scheme are pushed to the margins of an already-precarious workforce.
That isn't just a blip. The government must address the ways that women on the scheme are pushed to the margins of an already-precarious workforce.
Reposted by Focus on Labour Exploitation
📢 Vacancy closing soon! We are recruiting a Director of Operations at FLEX
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
OPPORTUNITY:
We are recruiting a Director of Operations, to lead the development and smooth running of the systems, processes, and culture that enables FLEX to deliver its mission effectively.
For more details on the role and how to apply, go to: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
We are recruiting a Director of Operations, to lead the development and smooth running of the systems, processes, and culture that enables FLEX to deliver its mission effectively.
For more details on the role and how to apply, go to: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
October 3, 2025 at 12:12 PM
📢 Vacancy closing soon! We are recruiting a Director of Operations at FLEX
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
📢 Vacancy closing soon! We are recruiting a Director of Operations at FLEX
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
OPPORTUNITY:
We are recruiting a Director of Operations, to lead the development and smooth running of the systems, processes, and culture that enables FLEX to deliver its mission effectively.
For more details on the role and how to apply, go to: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
We are recruiting a Director of Operations, to lead the development and smooth running of the systems, processes, and culture that enables FLEX to deliver its mission effectively.
For more details on the role and how to apply, go to: labourexploitation.org/about-us/opp...
October 3, 2025 at 12:12 PM
📢 Vacancy closing soon! We are recruiting a Director of Operations at FLEX
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
If you’re passionate about building strong teams and systems that drive social justice, have a look 👇
Deadline: Monday 6 October 2025 (midday).
Compelling workers to volunteer isn't volunteering; its exploitation.
The Home Secretary's new demands on migrant workers' right to indefinite leave to remain will increase the risk of exploitation of workers.
www.ein.org.uk/news/home-se...
The Home Secretary's new demands on migrant workers' right to indefinite leave to remain will increase the risk of exploitation of workers.
www.ein.org.uk/news/home-se...
Home Secretary confirms major changes to indefinite leave to remain coming “soon”
Shabana Mahmood outlines plans to introduce new contribution-based tests, meaning ILR will not be automatically granted based on residence
www.ein.org.uk
October 1, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Compelling workers to volunteer isn't volunteering; its exploitation.
The Home Secretary's new demands on migrant workers' right to indefinite leave to remain will increase the risk of exploitation of workers.
www.ein.org.uk/news/home-se...
The Home Secretary's new demands on migrant workers' right to indefinite leave to remain will increase the risk of exploitation of workers.
www.ein.org.uk/news/home-se...