Emiliano Mellino
@mellino.bsky.social
Journalist at @tbij.bsky.social. I cover inequality, precarious work and migration.
You can contact me on [email protected]
https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/profile/emilianomellino
https://linktr.ee/emiliano.mellino
You can contact me on [email protected]
https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/profile/emilianomellino
https://linktr.ee/emiliano.mellino
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
One of the reasons I'm so interested in getting full rights the first day of employment is I've been seeing more and more games industry companies firing workers for bullshit reasons before their probation is up.
So they're giving one-week pay and notice after 6-9 months of work.
So they're giving one-week pay and notice after 6-9 months of work.
Much will be said about this, but I can't help but think that the biggest losers will be seasonal agricultural workers.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
Government to ditch day-one unfair dismissal policy from workers’ rights bill
November 28, 2025 at 11:39 AM
One of the reasons I'm so interested in getting full rights the first day of employment is I've been seeing more and more games industry companies firing workers for bullshit reasons before their probation is up.
So they're giving one-week pay and notice after 6-9 months of work.
So they're giving one-week pay and notice after 6-9 months of work.
When the proposal for day-one unfair dismissal rights was last under threat @ieruk.bsky.social said the impact of replacing it with a 6-month qualifying period was profound: 5-month fixed term contracts, no rights for seasonal workers & people pressured into 0-hours.
www.ier.org.uk/comments/a-b...
www.ier.org.uk/comments/a-b...
November 28, 2025 at 10:58 AM
When the proposal for day-one unfair dismissal rights was last under threat @ieruk.bsky.social said the impact of replacing it with a 6-month qualifying period was profound: 5-month fixed term contracts, no rights for seasonal workers & people pressured into 0-hours.
www.ier.org.uk/comments/a-b...
www.ier.org.uk/comments/a-b...
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
This is something we've raised since "day one" rights were first mentioned.
Farm workers here on temporary visas remain without unfair dismissal protections-even when returning every year.
Last yr we had 145 dismissal cases: used as a threat, used when people complain, used to maintain power.
Farm workers here on temporary visas remain without unfair dismissal protections-even when returning every year.
Last yr we had 145 dismissal cases: used as a threat, used when people complain, used to maintain power.
Much will be said about this, but I can't help but think that the biggest losers will be seasonal agricultural workers.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
Government to ditch day-one unfair dismissal policy from workers’ rights bill
November 28, 2025 at 9:48 AM
This is something we've raised since "day one" rights were first mentioned.
Farm workers here on temporary visas remain without unfair dismissal protections-even when returning every year.
Last yr we had 145 dismissal cases: used as a threat, used when people complain, used to maintain power.
Farm workers here on temporary visas remain without unfair dismissal protections-even when returning every year.
Last yr we had 145 dismissal cases: used as a threat, used when people complain, used to maintain power.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
The Times’ reporting on employment tribunals is routinely awful. The headlines are clickbait claims which the body copy often contradicts. In this case the issue was not the use of the word “fireman” but failing to challenge a campaign of persistent offensive behaviour. And he wasn’t fired. He left
November 27, 2025 at 7:04 PM
The Times’ reporting on employment tribunals is routinely awful. The headlines are clickbait claims which the body copy often contradicts. In this case the issue was not the use of the word “fireman” but failing to challenge a campaign of persistent offensive behaviour. And he wasn’t fired. He left
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
When Keir Starmer asked me to work with our Trades Unions to develop a programme for the biggest uplift in workers’ rights and protections in a generation, I did exactly as I was asked and we produced the New Deal for Working People.
1/11
1/11
November 27, 2025 at 6:41 PM
When Keir Starmer asked me to work with our Trades Unions to develop a programme for the biggest uplift in workers’ rights and protections in a generation, I did exactly as I was asked and we produced the New Deal for Working People.
1/11
1/11
Much will be said about this, but I can't help but think that the biggest losers will be seasonal agricultural workers.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
November 27, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Much will be said about this, but I can't help but think that the biggest losers will be seasonal agricultural workers.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
The six-month threshold is meaningless since their visa forces them to leave the country before it kicks in. It will remain completely legal to sack them unfairly at any time.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
A few weeks ago this Reform rising star went on LBC & said young people were being paid too much,citing his experience in hospitality.
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
November 21, 2025 at 10:41 AM
A few weeks ago this Reform rising star went on LBC & said young people were being paid too much,citing his experience in hospitality.
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
A few weeks ago this Reform rising star went on LBC & said young people were being paid too much,citing his experience in hospitality.
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
November 21, 2025 at 10:41 AM
A few weeks ago this Reform rising star went on LBC & said young people were being paid too much,citing his experience in hospitality.
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
So we looked into his companies & found 3 tribunal judgments for failure to pay wages, holiday pay & provide contracts
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
'Nursing leaders told the Guardian the plans were “immoral” and treated highly skilled migrants as “political footballs”. They said a mass exodus of nurses would threaten patient safety'.
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Up to 50,000 nurses could quit UK over immigration plans, survey suggests
Exclusive: union leaders say proposed changes are immoral and could threaten patient safety if there is staff exodus
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM
'Nursing leaders told the Guardian the plans were “immoral” and treated highly skilled migrants as “political footballs”. They said a mass exodus of nurses would threaten patient safety'.
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Combine this with the number of UK universities shrinking or closing their nursing programmes....
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
The FCA is consulting on plans to anonymise the short positions data it publishes. Currently anyone can see which firms have positions >0.5% in UK stocks.
The firm with the most short positions today is Marshall Wace.
Paul Marshall funds GB News, he and Ian Wace previously funded the Conservatives.
The firm with the most short positions today is Marshall Wace.
Paul Marshall funds GB News, he and Ian Wace previously funded the Conservatives.
November 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The FCA is consulting on plans to anonymise the short positions data it publishes. Currently anyone can see which firms have positions >0.5% in UK stocks.
The firm with the most short positions today is Marshall Wace.
Paul Marshall funds GB News, he and Ian Wace previously funded the Conservatives.
The firm with the most short positions today is Marshall Wace.
Paul Marshall funds GB News, he and Ian Wace previously funded the Conservatives.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Islamophobic and racist AI-generated posts aimed at Brits helped make one Sri Lankan influencer rich – and now he’s sharing his formula
How racist AI Facebook posts made one Sri Lankan influencer rich
The content creator made his fortune from racist Facebook groups aimed at Brits; now he’s sharing his formula
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Islamophobic and racist AI-generated posts aimed at Brits helped make one Sri Lankan influencer rich – and now he’s sharing his formula
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
Farm workers go on unofficial strikes as their temporary visas create barriers to union membership
bit.ly
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Great work by @mellino.bsky.social
Why no one is organising seasonal workers?
We've discussed with workers through 2025
@carolinerobinson.bsky.social WSC
“They feel like things have been raised already, and there’s a lack of care about those issues in the UK in general – so what would change?”
Why no one is organising seasonal workers?
We've discussed with workers through 2025
@carolinerobinson.bsky.social WSC
“They feel like things have been raised already, and there’s a lack of care about those issues in the UK in general – so what would change?”
The answer isn't that workers themselves are not organisnig. There are several wildcat strikes that fly under the radar, but without support, they often fizzle out.
Some have even organised protested at the Home Office, as shown in this photo.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Some have even organised protested at the Home Office, as shown in this photo.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
November 12, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Great work by @mellino.bsky.social
Why no one is organising seasonal workers?
We've discussed with workers through 2025
@carolinerobinson.bsky.social WSC
“They feel like things have been raised already, and there’s a lack of care about those issues in the UK in general – so what would change?”
Why no one is organising seasonal workers?
We've discussed with workers through 2025
@carolinerobinson.bsky.social WSC
“They feel like things have been raised already, and there’s a lack of care about those issues in the UK in general – so what would change?”
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Next up in our solidarities feature, this vital piece on blindspots and tensions around trade union organising to support seasonal workers.
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
Farm workers go on unofficial strikes as their temporary visas create barriers to union membership
bit.ly
November 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Next up in our solidarities feature, this vital piece on blindspots and tensions around trade union organising to support seasonal workers.
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
The seasonal worker visa’s structure impedes union organising, with workers in the country for no longer than six months. But with the scheme ongoing since the 2019 pilot and looking like it’s here to stay, it makes sense to ask whether major unions could be doing more to overcome these challenges
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
The seasonal worker visa’s structure impedes union organising, with workers in the country for no longer than six months. But with the scheme ongoing since the 2019 pilot and looking like it’s here to stay, it makes sense to ask whether major unions could be doing more to overcome these challenges
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
Farm workers go on unofficial strikes as their temporary visas create barriers to union membership
bit.ly
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Which one is more English?
November 6, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Which one is more English?
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Such a great piece from @tbij.bsky.social that highlights how difficult it is for workers to access and enforce their rights - it shows truly staggering figures of non-payment of tribunal awards by employers, and that's not even counting the personal cost to workers.
Last year, Nadine made headlines after she was awarded £65,000 for unfair dismissal by Peckham Levels
Preparing for the tribunal cost Nadine her health – but she has yet to see the money
Preparing for the tribunal cost Nadine her health – but she has yet to see the money
October 8, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Such a great piece from @tbij.bsky.social that highlights how difficult it is for workers to access and enforce their rights - it shows truly staggering figures of non-payment of tribunal awards by employers, and that's not even counting the personal cost to workers.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Vital investigative journalism. Employment lawyers please check this out.
Last year, Nadine made headlines after she was awarded £65,000 for unfair dismissal by Peckham Levels
Preparing for the tribunal cost Nadine her health – but she has yet to see the money
Preparing for the tribunal cost Nadine her health – but she has yet to see the money
November 5, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Vital investigative journalism. Employment lawyers please check this out.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
More on this important investigative journalism about Employment Tribunals here
🚨 Our new investigation out today reveals how thousands of people who've taken their bosses to employment tribunals & won, never got paid, even after they approached the government for help.
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards
The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:29 PM
More on this important investigative journalism about Employment Tribunals here
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Incredible courage in the face of indescribable suffering. A women's film festival held in the rubble of Gaza.
By Ibtisam Mahdi in @972mag.com
www.972mag.com/gaza-interna...
By Ibtisam Mahdi in @972mag.com
www.972mag.com/gaza-interna...
In a tent in central Gaza, a women’s film festival is born
Held over six days last week, the inaugural International Festival for Women's Cinema was ‘an affirmation that Gaza loves life despite the genocide.’
www.972mag.com
November 4, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Incredible courage in the face of indescribable suffering. A women's film festival held in the rubble of Gaza.
By Ibtisam Mahdi in @972mag.com
www.972mag.com/gaza-interna...
By Ibtisam Mahdi in @972mag.com
www.972mag.com/gaza-interna...
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
🚨 BREAKING: The government has tabled their plan to restrict repeat protests.
Demonstrations could now banned based on the 'cumulative disruption' that previous protests have caused in the area - regardless of if they have been organised by the same people or not.
This is worse than we feared.
Demonstrations could now banned based on the 'cumulative disruption' that previous protests have caused in the area - regardless of if they have been organised by the same people or not.
This is worse than we feared.
Government's repeat protest restrictions worse than feared - Liberty
www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 3:28 PM
🚨 BREAKING: The government has tabled their plan to restrict repeat protests.
Demonstrations could now banned based on the 'cumulative disruption' that previous protests have caused in the area - regardless of if they have been organised by the same people or not.
This is worse than we feared.
Demonstrations could now banned based on the 'cumulative disruption' that previous protests have caused in the area - regardless of if they have been organised by the same people or not.
This is worse than we feared.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
The absolute state of employment tribunals and enforcement here 🤯
🚨 Our new investigation out today reveals how thousands of people who've taken their bosses to employment tribunals & won, never got paid, even after they approached the government for help.
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
This has serious implications for the Employment rights bill.
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Thousands of rogue bosses get away with not paying tribunal awards
The government scheme ‘enforcing’ money owed to workers has been unsuccessful in a staggering three-quarters of cases
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
November 2, 2025 at 6:03 PM
The absolute state of employment tribunals and enforcement here 🤯
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Political wisdom does not in fact lie in shrinking and contorting yourself into whatever shape an imagined white conservative might find tolerable. You can be authentically, cheerfully yourself, and set your stall out on that basis.
Zohran is stone cold man. Putting out an ad in Arabic after all the Islamophobic shit that’s been thrown his way? Pure swag.
Dems don’t need to copy his politics or even necessarily his campaign strategy, they need to learn how to grow a fucking spine.
Dems don’t need to copy his politics or even necessarily his campaign strategy, they need to learn how to grow a fucking spine.
أنا اسمي زهران ممدان وعم رشّح حالي لأكون العمدة الجديد في مدينة نيويورك
November 3, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Political wisdom does not in fact lie in shrinking and contorting yourself into whatever shape an imagined white conservative might find tolerable. You can be authentically, cheerfully yourself, and set your stall out on that basis.
Reposted by Emiliano Mellino
Journalists can often be victims of their pre-conceived ideas (see the Times/De Blasio fiasco). One of the ways we've avoided that is by working closely with experts.
Check out this piece by my colleague @lucybrisbane.bsky.social on how we did it in our recent employment tribunals investigation.
Check out this piece by my colleague @lucybrisbane.bsky.social on how we did it in our recent employment tribunals investigation.
I've worked in charities, campaigns & journalism. Often each sector wants the same thing- change. But we rarely join forces to make it happen.
I wrote about how we're trying to create cross sector collaboration at @tbij.bsky.social with advisory groups⬇️
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
I wrote about how we're trying to create cross sector collaboration at @tbij.bsky.social with advisory groups⬇️
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Doing journalism differently: how we built our latest collaborative…
For our investigation into employment tribunals, we joined forces with others who wanted to see the system change
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Journalists can often be victims of their pre-conceived ideas (see the Times/De Blasio fiasco). One of the ways we've avoided that is by working closely with experts.
Check out this piece by my colleague @lucybrisbane.bsky.social on how we did it in our recent employment tribunals investigation.
Check out this piece by my colleague @lucybrisbane.bsky.social on how we did it in our recent employment tribunals investigation.