Worker Support Centre
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workersupportc.bsky.social
Worker Support Centre
@workersupportc.bsky.social
We believe everyone should be safe, valued and respected at work. We work towards a Scotland that welcomes every worker. If you're working in seasonal agriculture, or social care on a visa and are having problems we can help.
We spoke to @rebeccamccurdy.bsky.social for this piece on social care staff shortages.

"Caroline Robinson [..] told The Herald that some care workers become displaced “overnight” [..] workers are “being penalised” because their employers lost their licence."

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2571006...
‘Neglected in the community’: Home care failings exacerbated by immigration changes
Staff shortages in home care in Scotland has left elderly and vulnerable people "neglected" in the community, it has been claimed.
www.heraldscotland.com
December 22, 2025 at 12:44 PM
It was good to hear The First minister mention Worker Support Centre in his response to @richardleonardmsp.bsky.social on seasonal farm worker housing conditions yesterday at FMQs, but workers need urgent action to ensure standards are in place BEFORE the May elections & the 2026 picking season.
December 19, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Today BBC reports on one worker's experience of squalid housing on a UK farm.

People who pick our food deserve the same basic right as anyone else: a safe, warm place to live.

We're calling for urgent implementation of standards for farm worker housing.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Fruit farm workers living in 'unsafe' and 'damp' caravans
A video shows some fruit farm workers living in damp, overcrowded and unsafe caravans.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 17, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Welcoming Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney MSP, to our office on Friday

We shared our 5 Step Exploitation Prevention Model and shared footage of squalid housing many workers in his constituency live in, paying high rents.

Full post on our website!

workersupportcentre.org.uk/2025/12/15/w...
December 15, 2025 at 1:21 PM
We believe everyone should be safe, valued and respected at work - no matter our job or nationality.

In 2025 workers across Scotland have showed what that looks like in action.

Check out our FIRST EVER newsletter to hear more about this work.

workersupportcentre.org.uk/2025/12/10/w...
WSC 2025 round-up: A year of worker power! – Worker Support Centre
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re proud to share our first newsletter detailing some of the moments where workers led the way, shaped change and built the foundations for a fairer Scotland.
workersupportcentre.org.uk
December 11, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
Help shape the future of social care in Scotland. Join others committed to making a difference & take our short, anonymous survey now. Your voice matters.
👉 bit.ly/48CxbC1

#SocialCare #YourVoiceMatters #CareSector
December 9, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Thanks! This is the result of tireless effort from the workers with whom we partner, who've spent precious time sharing their views with politicians & gvt on how the UK can ensure seasonal farm worker housing is safe, affordable & warm.

Now we work for strong standards that are enforced for all.
December 8, 2025 at 6:19 PM
This is something we've raised since "day one" rights were first mentioned.

Farm workers here on temporary visas remain without unfair dismissal protections-even when returning every year.

Last yr we had 145 dismissal cases: used as a threat, used when people complain, used to maintain power.
Much will be said about this, but I can't help but think that the biggest losers will be seasonal agricultural workers.

The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
Government to ditch day-one unfair dismissal policy from workers’ rights bill
November 28, 2025 at 9:48 AM
How do we create labour enforcement standards that protect all workers in Scotland as the UK's new Fair Work Agency comes into view?

Tomorrow we’re bringing together regulators, trade unions & experts to discuss.

Read more about this work here:
workersupportcentre.org.uk/2025/11/25/c...
Creating a labour enforcement standard to protect all workers in Scotland – Worker Support Centre
On Wednesday 26 November 2025, the Worker Support Centre (WSC) will bring together regulators, trade unions and frontline organisations to answer a central question: what should effective labour enfor...
workersupportcentre.org.uk
November 25, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
🆕Seasonal agricultural workers: co-creating resources to enhance rights’ awareness. Report on an event funded by an SCGA engagement award. @workersupportc.bsky.social scga.scot/2025/11/21/s...
November 21, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
The seasonal worker visa’s structure impedes union organising, with workers in the country for no longer than six months. But with the scheme ongoing since the 2019 pilot and looking like it’s here to stay, it makes sense to ask whether major unions could be doing more to overcome these challenges
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.

So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Great work by @mellino.bsky.social

Why no one is organising seasonal workers?

We've discussed with workers through 2025

@carolinerobinson.bsky.social WSC

“They feel like things have been raised already, and there’s a lack of care about those issues in the UK in general – so what would change?”
The answer isn't that workers themselves are not organisnig. There are several wildcat strikes that fly under the radar, but without support, they often fizzle out.

Some have even organised protested at the Home Office, as shown in this photo.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
November 12, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
Last week, the @workersupportc.bsky.social (WSC) was featured on a BBC Radio 4 programme ‘Abused for Our Food’ which exposed the reality faced by seasonal farm workers in the UK.

You can visit the WSC website to listen to the programme in full.

workersupportcentre.org.uk/2025/10/24/w...
WSC featured on BBC programme about seasonal farm workers in the UK – Worker Support Centre
This Wednesday 22nd October BBC File on 4 Investigates broadcast a programme about the treatment …
workersupportcentre.org.uk
October 30, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
Apparent proposals to reintroduce employment tribunal fees - last seen in 2013 under the Con-Dem coalition and scrapped following a successful challenge by UNISON - stand to undermine improvements (to some areas) in the Employment Rights Bill @timsharp.bsky.social www.tuc.org.uk/blogs/dont-l...
Don't let tribunal fees undermine the government's Plan to Make Work Pay
The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay promises stronger protections for workers, but apparent proposals to reintroduce employment tribunal fees risk undermining that progress.
www.tuc.org.uk
October 3, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
This is really important work…

Labour’s Employment Rights Bill may well transform workers’ rights. But only if people can access justice and enforcement of remedies can’t be dodged.

Do you really have rights at all, if the barriers to asserting them are so difficult to overcome?
🚨 Our new investigation out today reveals how thousands of people who've taken their bosses to employment tribunals & won, never got paid, even after they approached the government for help.

This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards
The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:23 AM
New report on @scga.bsky.social co-developed by us with students and academics @uofglasgow.bsky.social as part of a project to understand seasonal agricultural workers' rights and entitlements in relation to their

💸 Pay and
✈️ visas

In Scotland.

⬇️ Check it out at the link below.
October 2, 2025 at 11:03 AM
🌱 Who wants to work a 12-hour day and be paid for eight?

No one, yet we found widespread underpayment of seasonal farm workers.

So we're
💻 calling for policy change &
📝 equipping workers with tools to evidence time & pay.

Check our our new post!
workersupportcentre.org.uk/2025/10/02/m...
Making sure all farm workers are paid for the hours they work – Worker Support Centre
Launching our brand new guide: Know your rights and evidence your work.
workersupportcentre.org.uk
October 2, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Reposted by Worker Support Centre
From workers highlighting horrific housing conditions to last week's Scottish Parliament discussion on how to address the gap in oversight.

This gap affects @ 45,000 people who come to pick our fruit & veg annually (who spend 20% of their wage on housing)

Read @workersupportc.bsky.social blog ⬇️
🏡 New WSC blog: Housing

Many seasonal farm workers live in cold, unsafe caravans without legal protections.

Last night Cab Sec for Housing,
@mairimcallan.bsky.social
confirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to closing this gap.

Read our response!
workersupportcentre.org.uk/resources/on...
One year of action by and for workers on seasonal worker housing – Worker Support Centre
workersupportcentre.org.uk
September 29, 2025 at 10:03 AM
🏡 New WSC blog: Housing

Many seasonal farm workers live in cold, unsafe caravans without legal protections.

Last night Cab Sec for Housing,
@mairimcallan.bsky.social
confirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to closing this gap.

Read our response!
workersupportcentre.org.uk/resources/on...
One year of action by and for workers on seasonal worker housing – Worker Support Centre
workersupportcentre.org.uk
September 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
We are recruiting!

WSC is looking for a new Community Engagement Officer in Perth and Kinross to work with local community groups, organisations and individuals and to connect workers to support that exists locally.

Check out the role and share widely:
workersupportcentre.org.uk/2025/09/19/w...
WSC is recruiting a Community Engagement Officer to work on our new Building Bridges project – Worker Support Centre
We all want to feel safe, valued and respected at work – no matter who …
workersupportcentre.org.uk
September 19, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Today we're proud to share 3 major milestones:
🤝 Launching our new Worker Power stream, standing in solidarity with carers who've come to the UK to look after our loved ones.
🌱 A brand new website & look - link in bio!
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Opening our new office in Perth, in the heart of Scotland.
Big news from WSC: Standing in solidarity with the workers who care for us – Worker Support Centre
The Worker Support Centre is really proud to make three big announcements today. We believe …
workersupportcentre.org.uk
September 10, 2025 at 9:49 AM
Thanks to @richardleonardmsp.bsky.social & @brianleishmanmp.bsky.social for joining workers on Scotland's farms & our team to hear experiences of seasonal farm work & for sharing updates on the campaign to make seasonal workers' homes safe.
Migrant workers on farms across Scotland spent another night last night in unsafe overcrowded, unsanitary, inhumane accommodation

@brianleishmanmp.bsky.social and I had productive discussions with the @workersupportc.bsky.social on the campaign to end this scandal
September 2, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Today #worlddayagainsttrafficking Scottish Government published their new Trafficking & Exploitation Strategy,with prevention at its core.

Read our statement welcoming this new approach, which could represent a significant step forward for Scotland.

workersupportcentre.org.uk/wsc-welcomes...
WSC welcomes new Scottish Government Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy | Worker Support Centre
workersupportcentre.org.uk
July 30, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Seasonal agricultural workers reported wage theft & widespread payslip confusion in 2024, we partnered with workers to highlight this issue.

So we're pleased that the UK Director of Labour Market Enforcement has now committed to a review on payslips
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68779f...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
July 28, 2025 at 10:02 AM
New: joint Seasonal Worker Interest Group response to UK Gvt co-commissioned research on an Employer Pays Principle for workers in seasonal agriculture
workersupportcentre.org.uk/wp-content/u...

We need a safe & ethical scheme that doesn't place seasonal agricultural workers at risk of debt bondage
workersupportcentre.org.uk
July 21, 2025 at 10:53 AM