👻🕒 Every night, millions of workers keep Britain ticking long after the sun goes down. But among the 9 million-strong night-time workforce, many feel like 'ghosts'. Leandro Cristovao, from Angola, has worked the 'graveyard' shift at a south London market for seven years. 'We are ghosts on the night shift,' he says.
Over the past decade, Britain's night-time economy has become increasingly reliant on migrants as UK-born workers shy away from late shifts. According to official data from 2022, migrants are twice as likely to work nights as UK-born workers, and in health and care, they make up over a third of the night crew.
The office cleaner from Bolivia
As dawn breaks over central London, 46-year-old Roxana Panozo Alba and her team of mostly migrant cleaners pack up their supplies. From 10pm to 7am, they scrub toilets, kitchens, conference rooms and over 500 desks, earning the London Living Wage of £13.85 per hour. Alba, a Spanish citizen through marriage, moved with her husband after work dried up in Spain.
These night-shift ghost workers play a vital role in keeping our 24/7 society alive, yet they often remain invisible. As debates over immigration intensify, their stories remind us of the essential work done behind the scenes.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
