News

On the occasion of International Labour Day, The Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) has called attention to persisting labour exploitation of undocumented migrant workers and has urged governments to implement tools ensuring labour rights protection for all migrant workers, regardless of residence status. 

While undocumented migrant workers meet essential needs of labour markets in countries of destination - often jobs in sectors such as construction, agricultural work or domestic and care work – they can easily become exploited by employers who take advantage of their irregular status and inability to access justice in cases of complaints. Workers are often underpaid, not reimbursed for incurred costs, and are often fired without due notice. 

On May Day, this growing experience of unjust treatment provides increased impetus for workers in the care sector to organise and ensure the fair treatment of all. 

Read the full release here and watch the PICUM 'undocumentary' on vimeo here

PICUM is the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants,a non-governmental international organisation (NGO) that promotes respect for the human rights of undocumented migrants within Europe. PICUM provides a direct link between the grassroots level, where undocumented migrants' experience is most visible, and the European level, where policies relating to them are deliberated. PICUM provides regular recommendations and expertise to policy makers and institutions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe and at EU level. In 2009, PICUM was awarded participatory status with the Council of Europe.