As organisations supporting and representing seasonal horticultural workers’ interests, we have engaged in the Taskforce in good faith and sought to contribute staff time to outputs and meetings within the scope of our existing resources. We initially viewed the Taskforce as a valuable opportunity to discuss the serious limitations of the scheme, and to make constructive and collaborative multi-stakeholder proposals for its improvement to the scheme leads: DEFRA and the Home Office...

We have always sought to ensure scheme governance and oversight is delivered by the UK Government, rather than through voluntary initiatives. However, despite Defra officials attending Taskforce meetings as an observer, there has been no engagement from the Home Office and/or UKVI.  Meanwhile, it has become increasingly apparent that the Home Office and UK Government views the Taskforce as an alternative to direct engagement with organisations supporting workers, thereby placing workers at greater risk of abuse and exploitation. 

We have therefore come to the decision that the interests of the workers we support and represent will be better served by redirecting our attention elsewhere. In particular we will be working with worker representatives and support organisations, including trade unions, to collectively advance urgent priorities for the workers we serve...

We remain open to collaboration with the Taskforce collectively as well as with individual Taskforce members where priorities align and are in the process of establishing a Worker Interest Group for this purpose...

Work Rights Centre

Worker Support Centre

Focus on Labour Exploitation

Anti-Slavery International

ATLEU