Leading retailers call for action on UK worker exploitation

A team of thirteen retailers joined traders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and far more than 50 cross-bash MPs in the letter to Priti Patel.

It phone calls for the introduction of a licensing scheme for garment factories that would protect employees from forced labour, personal debt bondage and mistreatment, whilst guaranteeing payment of the National Minimal Wage, VAT, PAYE, National Insurance policy, holiday getaway fork out and wellness and protection.

They reported the scheme would also create a stage taking part in discipline for “businesses to contend fairly and avert rogue organizations from undercutting compliant manufacturers”, and persuade shops to supply their clothing from the United kingdom.

The letter was coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) together with the All Celebration Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Vogue and Textiles and the APPG on Ethics and Sustainability.

Other retailer signatories involve: Joules, Matalan, Morrisons, Mountain Warehouse, N Brown, River Island and the Extremely Team.

It is in response to latest studies of employees in Leicester currently being paid out underneath the bare minimum wage and working in unsafe disorders.

Boohoo Team, which has faced allegation that employees building its garment in Leicester ended up paid out as minor as £3.50/hour, has also supported the proposal of a licensing scheme.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC reported: “The BRC has regularly named on government to get action to prevent labour exploitation in the United kingdom. New studies in the media exhibit the urgent need for action ahead of far more employees are needlessly taken gain of. Even though there is no silver bullet, licensing is a essential move towards resolving this situation. The community want to know that the dresses they purchase have been built by employees who are highly regarded, valued and safeguarded by the law.

“Our users continue on to stand business versus labour exploitation, and we hope the property secretary joins us in the struggle to construct a far more moral and sustainable vogue industry.”