LOW-PAID workers are less likely to report being underpaid because of fear and job insecurity, a new report finds.
The Low Pay Commission studied non-compliance and enforcement of the minimum wage in Leicester’s textiles industry, saying that, since 2020, multiple agencies have carried out large-scale joint enforcement operations in the area, partly in response to reports of exploitation and underpayment.
LPC chairman Bryan Sanderson said: “The evidence we heard from workers in Leicester was striking.
“Despite some positive recent progress, job insecurity, a poisonous workplace culture and low expectations leave workers trapped in poor-quality jobs and vulnerable to exploitation.
“The case of Leicester is not unique. Across the UK, workers in precarious positions face the same obstacles, with the same consequences for enforcement.
“The problem demands comprehensive action, including to give these workers greater security over their hours and incomes.”
Claudia Webbe, MP for Leicester East, where most of the garment factories in Leicester are located, told the Star: “Wage exploitation has been endemic in sections of Leicester’s garment industry for more than a decade.
“Legislation should be introduced to regulate brands. Zero-hour contracts must be eradicated and hours should be protected so that each worker gets a guaranteed pay for a working week.”
Britain