Ukrainian workers subject to 'modern slavery' in UK

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Hundreds of Ukrainians are believed to be living and working in the United Kingdom after they escaped from the farms they were working in, and many have come forward and said they had been victims of modern slavery.

Ukrainians constitute the largest proportion of foreign workers in the UK, with 19,920 seasonal working visas given to Ukrainians in 2021 out of a total of 29,631 granted, making for two-thirds of the figure.

The farmworkers who had fled are not eligible for the two main government schemes that provide support for Ukrainian refugees, which are the family and the sponsorship scheme.

The Ukraine extension scheme will be open for applications starting early May, and those whose visas expired on or after January 1 can apply for the new extension scheme if they left the farm.

The extension will allow refugees to seek alternative employment, though it does not apply to those not working on the farm or whose visas expired on or before December 31, 2021.

A Ukrainian worker spoke to the British news outlet, The Guardian. The newspaper reported that the worker was an IT expert with two university degrees, and she came to the UK alongside her partner to make money, though she said the conditions on farms were "akin to modern-day slavery."

She highlighted that nobody cared about seasonal workers and what happened to them. "I thought our rights would be well protected in the UK but this has not happened," she added.

Among what the couple was subjected to on the cherry farm they worked on was bleeding hands and peeling skin due to their employers not providing them with gloves.

She revealed that workers on one farm staged a protest over the horrid conditions there, but seeing as demanding their rights was seen as wrongful, they were punished by being suspended for a week.

"We have come across many, many other Ukrainians who, like us, have run away from farms, cannot return to Ukraine and so have been forced to work here illegally," she noted, detailing that she felt like a hostage in the United Kingdom due to her situation.

The employers "set unachievable targets" for the workers, she said, adding that people were forced to work tirelessly until they sustained injuries "through threats and humiliation."

On the campsite she and her partner were living on, The Guardian reported, all but 38 workers fled, with many leaving to work illegally in the cities in order to solve their financial problems and protect their wellbeing.

"If a person fell off a stepladder they were sent to the campsite to recover on their own or flew home," the Ukrainian worker divulged.

The United Kingdom has been a flagrant supporter of Ukraine against Russia, providing Kiev with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of arms, though it seems that the support stops there. London has been part of the campaign of demonizing Russia and accusing it of committing human rights abuses in Ukraine, but the UK has been doing so before the Ukraine war even started.

Issues commonly cited by workers include a lack of health and safety equipment, racism, and accommodation without bathrooms, running water, or kitchens.

Ukrainians on seasonal worker visas can apply for three years' leave under the Ukraine extension scheme, a government spokesperson said.

"Under no circumstances should any seasonal workers in the agricultural sector be forced to work in exploitative conditions. We strongly advise any people in these circumstances to report issues to the police so steps can be taken for their safeguarding and wellbeing," the spokesperson added.

The process of Ukrainians evacuating from Ukraine itself has had many racist aspects, with the Ukrainian authorities discriminating against African students who had been in the country when it came to evacuations.

African nationals faced blatant racism, arrests, and physical assault, and they were pushed to the back of the line when it came to evacuations.