Unions have hit back at Tory MPs for creating an 'unwelcome’ environment for overseas workers in the UK
Unions representing tens of thousands of social workers in the UK have accused the government of using overseas social workers as scapegoats, to cover its own political failings.
Recent government policy has helped create an ‘unwelcome’ environment for overseas social workers in the UK, the Social Workers Union and British Association of Social Workers have blasted, as they seek to highlight the vital role diaspora workers play in the profession.
A series of hostile government policies in recent months include, increasing the earnings threshold for overseas workers by nearly 50%, Home Secretary James Cleverly’s announcement to ban overseas care workers from bringing their dependents with them and restricting the number of health and care workers visas.
“We must do more to celebrate the contribution of diaspora social workers and stop making them scapegoats for the failings of government policy,” said Duc Tran from the British Association of Social Workers.
“All the diaspora social workers I know are committed and hardworking people who just want to make a positive contribution to the lives and communities which they serve. Their presence adds richness and resilience to the country’s social care sector.”
A recent report by the Kings Fund said that the NHS would simply ‘not be able to function’ without its international workforce. Nearly one in five people in the health service are overseas workers.
Whilst exploitation in the care sector has surged in recent years due to visa rules and practices at care firms, with the effects rippling across the sector.
Hitting back at the rhetoric coming out of Downing Street, the union coalition has set up its first Diaspora Dialogues Conference, celebrating the contribution of overseas workers in the country and to raise awareness of the challenges diaspora workers face when moving to work in the UK.
Calum Gallacher, Assistant General Secretary, Social Workers Union, said: “Overseas social workers make an enormous contribution to the health service here in the UK.
“Despite this, they face a number of barriers along the way, including practices that are tantamount to modern slavery and an unwelcome working environment fueled by anti-immigration rhetoric.
“We want to ensure that diaspora social workers are aware of their rights while in the UK and can access a community of peers that is here to support one another.”
(Image credit: Simon Dawson / Number 10 – Creative Commons)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues
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