The general council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress is to press the British government and the Scottish executive to combat the exploitation of migrant labour in the construction industry
Alan Ritchie, UCATT's regional secretary for Scotland, has tabled a motion on this issue at the STUC conference in Glasgow next week.

It will call on the general council to make representations to the authorities to ensure that migrant workers are made aware of their rights, so that they do not fall prey to unscrupulous employers.

The motion also notes that congress is concerned about the impact of migration policies on the indigenous workforce and the countries from which the workers have come.

It states: "The STUC is anxious to ensure that short-term migration is not seen by policymakers as a solution to recruitment and retention problems."

In addition, the motion calls on the government to verify the skills levels of migrant workers, to ensure that they meet NVQ or SVQ standards, and to ensure that the workers' skills are properly accredited.

Short-term migration must not be seen by policymakers as a solution to recruitment

STUC motion

The motion says: "Where possible, workers skills should be registered with the appropriate training organisation."

The motion asks for the STUC to declare its opposition to any relaxation of the rules governing work permits that allow labour agencies a role in the recruitment of migrant workers.

It also calls for care to be taken to ensure that employers have put in place adequate health and safety procedures for migrant workers.