This week, the EU Forced Labour Regulation was signed with enforcement planned for three years’ time. The Regulation aims to ban products on the EU market which are produced, extracted, or harvested with forced labour. IndustriAll European Trade Union has worked with EU policymakers alongside the wider trade union movement and civil society to ensure that the EU Regulation has teeth and will make a real impact to workers around the globe. 

Unfortunately, the use of forced labour remains rife and the ILO estimates that around 27.6 million people are in forced labour and around eight million people are in debt bondage. Examples of forced labour can include forced overtime, deductions from salaries (including for extremely poor and unsanitary accommodation), harassment, grave occupational health and safety concerns, and passport seizure. 

Shocking examples can be found in the global industrial and manufacturing supply chains and have included workers at ATA Industrial, suppliers for Dyson in Malaysia and miners in Pakistan. However, there are concerns about forced labour in the EU too, with the port in Antwerp being previously investigated where two subcontractors of the company Borealis suspected of trafficking human beings after serious violations, including those related to illegal work, social security rules and non-compliance with wage legislation were identified by federal and regional inspection services. 

The ILO’s latest report suggests a staggering US$63.9 billion in illegal profits are generated globally from forced labour exploitation, with an average of US$3687 per victim. The 2022 Global Estimates on Modern Slavery (GEMS) have revealed an increase of 2.7 million between 2016 and 2021 in the number of workers experiencing forced labour, mostly in the private sector. The scale of the problem shows why tough legislation is needed, and industriAll Europe welcomes this important step by the EU.

The EU Regulation aims to eliminate all products made with forced labour from the EU market, irrespective of where they are made, and includes all products from all companies. Trade unions have already begun to prepare for the Regulation’s implementation and will work with their members including on how to submit a complaint. Solidarity and support across the trade union movement will be key to ensure that complaints can be submitted and solutions found, including justice and retributions for affected workers.

Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary at industriAll Europe said: 

“We need to stop forced labour now and we hope that this EU Regulation is a step towards ending this dreadful practice. This Regulation will only work if there are enough resources to ensure proper monitoring and swift action when complaints are submitted. We will support our affiliates and work with our sister organisation IndustriALL Global Union to ensure that we are ready to react. We insist on decent jobs for all.’’
‘’While the Regulation is an excellent step forward, we know that it is not a silver bullet. We still believe that core workers’ rights, such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, are “enabling” rights and key solutions to fully eradicate forced labour. Workers’ rights are human rights and respect for core ILO conventions plus strong regulations with teeth will help us stamp out forced labour for good. We insist on decent jobs for all.’’


Read more on the topic:

https://news.industriall-europe.eu/Article/1067

https://news.industriall-europe.eu/Article/986 

https://news.industriall-europe.eu/Article/946

https://news.industriall-europe.eu/Article/904

https://news.industriall-europe.eu/Article/778