FORCED labour and exploitation of Eastern European workers has been uncovered in Scotland's food industry.
Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation included experiences of staff employed in farms, factories, processing plants and hotels with workers interviewed in Angus, Fife, Perth and Kinross and Fife as part of a broader UK study on conditions faced by migrant workers.
Dr Alistair Geddes, of Dundee University, who carried out the research in Scotland, said there were many good employers of migrant workers but a number of workers have reported intimidation and threats by bosses and routinely experienced shortfalls in their pay.
Researchers spoke to 20 workers originally from Bulgaria, Latvia or Poland who had come to north-east and central Scotland to earn a living.
Dr Geddes said: "We are not looking at such extreme situations where people are locked up but forced situations where workers may have paid money to intermediaries to come and work in the UK but are simply not getting the wages to pay that back.
"We tried to uncover a range of practices used by these unscrupulous employers. Intimidation, threats and bullying would be widely used as would non-payment and under-payment of wages."
Work is often tied to accommodation and transport provided by the employer with deductions made before pay is received, with one male worker taking home £30 after a full week's work.
Long working hours was a complaint of many who took part in the study, which interviewed a total of 62 staff over the UK, with the majority working more than 50 hours a week.
Around 37,500 migrants were registered to work in Scotland according to official figures for 2010.
Another key issue identified in Scotland was unrealistic targets being set for piece work, such as on fruit farms and poultry plants, with the result being that workers were unable to earn the expected pay.
If questions were asked by staff, Dr Geddes said penalties – such as working outside – would sometimes be invoked.
One 30-year-old worker told researchers he had been referred to as a "f****** Pole" by his Scottish workmates, but Dr Geddes said racism against migrant workers was not the "strongest card" reported to researchers. Deception by employers ranked the top concern of migrant workers across the UK.
Dr Geddes said: "We are not trying to tar every single employer."
He said a lack of awarness by migrant workers about their rights and language barriers were making staff more vulnerable. Dr Geddes said: "I don't think that is the reason why those from ascension countries have been hired here. They have been recognised that they often come here with the idea of making money and being prepared to do the sort of work others are not prepared to do for the wages on offer."
He said there was a "shame" for people in returning home to their native country if their experience in the UK had not worked out, particularly if wages were being sent home to support family members.
Dr Geddes said: "People still have high aspirations that they are coming to a good country to work in and the UK being a just society. Clearly, for a number of people, these illusions are removed entirely. It is not as simple for people to say 'I am going to leave'. There is a level of shame for many in going back."
The Gangmaster's Licensing Authority, which was set up after the Morecambe cockle pickers tragedy in 2004, has 10 inspectors working across Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England to monitor those who organise groups of workers.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has called for strengthening of its powers in light of its research.
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