7th October 2017<\/p>\n
Last week, two Ecuadorian cleaners were suspended without pay from their zero-hour contract jobs polishing the floors of London\u2019s Ferrari and Maserati showrooms. Why? Because they voted to go on strike after their employer refused requests for an increase to their \u00a37.50-an-hour minimum wage. [1]<\/em><\/p>\n Unfortunately, this is just one example of a problem that runs much deeper. Across the UK, workers with \u2018precarious contracts\u2019 are exposed to prejudice and exploitation. Migrants are particularly affected \u2013 often forced into irregular jobs, where they encounter zero-hour contracts, rock-bottom wages, and mental and physical abuse.<\/p>\n At the Green Party Autumn Conference, which kicks off today in Harrogate, Jean Lambert MEP will speak on a panel entitled \u2018Living on the Margins: Protecting Migrant Workers\u2019 Rights in a Precarious World\u2019<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n She will be joined by Owen Espley (Senior Economic Justice Campaigner at War on Want) and Lauren McCourt (a McDonalds worker and campaigner for workers\u2019 rights).<\/p>\n Jean Lambert, London\u2019s Green MEP and the Green Party\u2019s migration spokesperson<\/strong>, said: \u201cIt\u2019s devastating that so many migrant workers in the UK suffer as a result of these dodgy, dangerous employment practices. Nobody should find themselves in a position where they are forced to take on exploitative work, or fear the consequences of leaving an abusive employer.<\/em><\/p>\n