By bringing together trans-nationalism and labour process studies my research develops an understanding of migrant labour that re-evaluates the social and political potential of migrants’ everyday relationships in, across and beyond their workplaces. It shows that, although increasing casualisation of employment limits workers’ organisational resources, growing diversity and mobility also prompts alternative modes of resistance to improve the lives of transient workers. The challenges this research poses for unions include overcoming the persisting ‘masculine politics’ of organising models, expanding their coalitions beyond an ‘industry-based’ strategy, and engaging directly with migrants’ communities to promote self-organising through alternative educational tools.