Modern day slavery in Leicester city.
We want the council to:
-Publicly acknowledge the undeniable evidence of modern day slavery
in our city (The Sunday Times, 5th July 2020. http://Labourbehindthelabel.org)
Work with all relevant national agencies to address the problems
outlined, to:
-intervene to ensure that factories are operating safely and that
workers are receiving a fair wage for their work.
- Instigate unannounced inspections of Leicester’s garment
factories, to investigate any evidence of modern day slavery in our
city to ensure compliance with enforcement of the Modern slavery
act 2015 and to act decisively on any such findings.
-Investigate safe working practices in garment factories, including
but not exclusively, safe working practices in respect of Covid
19
- Investigate wage theft and denial of benefits, specifically
misappropriation of government furlough funds during Covid 19
pandemic
We ask that Leicester city Council works with all relevant agencies
to address the problems outlined, these agencies to include , but
not limited to:
- local stakeholders, Unions , local authorities and Gangmasters
and labour abuse authority and Health and Safety Executive
-the requirement for Supply chain transparency, to increase brand
accountability, specifically, but not exclusively
‘Boohoo’. ie if companies want to operate in our city
they must comply.
Workers protection
-Set up local confidential helpline for workers who are
exploited
-The council to undertake to work with all relevant agencies to
protect the individual workers including migrant workers at risk of
deportation, subject to the UK Home office immigration
policies
-Immediate closure of sites where there is evidence of unsafe
working practices, including but not exclusively Covid 19 related.
With workers pay protected for an agreed period under a scheme
similar to the government furlough scheme
This ePetition ran from 18/08/2020 to 15/09/2020 and has now finished.
135 people signed this ePetition.