07/03/2024 Standing Committee
The Standing Committee, meeting today in Paris, expressed its concern at the precarious and irregular work situations of migrant seasonal and domestic workers, which have increased over the years. This phenomenon is aggravated by factors such as the temporary nature of seasonal employment contracts, linguistic barriers, and the lengthy and cumbersome procedures for obtaining work permits.
The precariousness and irregular working conditions among migrant workers – characterised by low or no remuneration, excessive workload, harassment, lack of social security coverage and social rights, degrading accomodations, and limited access to justice – lead to situations of modern slavery, the parliamentarians said.
By adopting a resolution, based on the report by Diana Stoica (Romania, ALDE), the Standing Committee called on member states to comply with the existing international treaties, norms and recommendations, referring in particular to the European Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers, the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, and the European Social Charter.
In addition, PACE called on member states to improve their legislation and practices, and therefore to “define and criminalise ‘forced labour’ and ‘precarious and irregular working conditions’ in legislation; establish anti-trafficking legislation and mechanisms; adopt policies to protect migrant workers’ and their families’ rights concerning wages, workload, social security coverage, working and living conditions, safety measures at workplace, and social services.
Finally, the parliamentarians underlined the importance of establishing legal measures for effective labour inspections – including for domestic work – and of increasing financial and human resources dedicated to inspections; of carrying out regularisation programmes for undocumented workers; and of facilitating family reunion.