2025 was a defining year for the Worker Support Centre. We grew to a team of nine, opened an office in Perth, and expanded into Scotland’s social care sector for the first time, bringing our worker-centred model to a new community at risk of exploitation.
Our biggest win of the year came when farm workers secured Scotland’s first-ever commitment to introduce housing standards for seasonal agricultural workers. It is the result of over two years of organising, evidence-gathering and courageous testimony from workers who put their futures on the line to speak out.
“Workers should not have to choose between speaking about problems and protecting their futures. Behind every salad, every product people buy, there is a lot of labour, effort and sacrifice from us.”
Bobo (chosen pseudonym), seasonal farm worker, speaking at WSC’s Annual Report launch event
In social care, workers met directly with the Scottish Government, which is now considering a new support package influenced by workers themselves. We also launched a new work-time calendar to help people in Scotland’s agricultural sector record their hours and understand their rights.
In May 2026, we brought together workers, policymakers, NGOs, funders, journalists and international experts at our Annual Report launch event. Speakers included Bobo, a seasonal farm worker, Matthew Taylor, Chair of the UK’s new Fair Work Agency (FWA), former UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery Tomoya Obokata, and Ade and Vincent, social care workers.
“It’s going to be incredibly important to develop the right channels to enable people, especially vulnerable people, to connect with us, and to work with organisations like yours which have closer links and greater trust with workers than a state agency is ever likely to have.”
Matthew Taylor, Chair, Fair Work Agency
The event generated rich discussion about systemic reform of tied-visa programmes. The FWA recognised the need to address structural exploitation across departments and devolved administrations and WSC is now positioned as a key civil society partner as the agency establishes its stakeholder assembly.
The report launch also generated significant press attention including in The Herald (see image below), The National and The Grocer.
Looking ahead, our new three-year communications and movement-building programme — Beyond Pledges — is now under way. We are seeking cross-party commitments in the new Scottish Parliament on tied-visa reform, housing standards and fair work, all co-developed with workers.