“It hit us hard”: Health, social, economic & cultural impacts of Covid-19 on migrant essential workers in the UK

Keywords: Migration, Covid-19, essential work, migrant work, UK, Polish migrants
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 22

Abstract

Covid-19 has exposed Western societies’ socio-economic dependence on a chronically insecure migrant essential workforce. While risking their lives to offset the devastating effects of the pandemic, migrant workers reportedly find themselves in precarious professional and personal circumstances (e.g. temporary zero-hours contracts, work exploitation, limited access to health/social services). This paper explores the health, social, economic and cultural impacts of Covid-19 on the migrant essential workforce in the UK. It focuses on the largest non-British nationality, the Polish community, who - while employed across a range of roles and sectors - are overrepresented in lower-paid essential work. The paper discusses variegated and interconnected impacts of the pandemic on Polish essential workers and their largely (yet not exclusively) oppressive nature. Methodologically, it draws upon ~1,100 responses to an online survey and 40 interviews with Polish essential workers in the UK as well as 10 expert interviews with key stakeholders. It is based on a major UKRI-funded project investigating lived experiences of migrant essential workers in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic (www.migrantessentialworkers.com).