GMB called on British construction firms to work with the Philippines Workers Association which launched yesterday, in a bid to prevent any more workers from dying building World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

An estimated 1.7 million migrant workers are still being forced to build the 2022 World Cup stadiums working under the kafala system, which sees workers forced to pay recruitment fees, having their passports confiscated, non-payment of wages as well as health and safety breaches, with over 7,000 workers expected to die before a ball is kicked in seven years.

A new union has been set up with the support of the government of the Philippines in an attempt to create safer working and living conditions for those building the infrastructure for the international football tournament — but unions are illegal in Qatar.