Exploited fast-fashion factory workers are failing by Government, says MP

The government is disappointing workers in fast-fashion factories by failing to stop them from being exploited, lawmakers say, afterMerevealed the abuse was still happening in Leicester one year after a task force to stop it was set up by Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Our investigations have revealed that Operation Tacit did not result in prosecutions for not paying minimum wages, or for health and safety or modern slavery violations.

It also found that two directors who filmed in 2017 said they would pay less than half of the official pay rate have not been disqualified or prosecuted.

By keeping tabs on regulators and agencies that choose not to enforce the law or prosecute rogue bosses, the Government has given the green light for abuse and exploitation, said Andy McDonald, shadow Secretary for Protection and Employment Rights.

These dangerous and illegal work practices are disastrous for workers and terrible for businesses that do the right thing but are belittled by unscrupulous competitors.

Laws protecting workers must be strengthened and strictly enforced, and individual actors must feel the full force of the law.

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Exploitation, harassment and no prosecution Leicester sweatshop scandal continues for another year

Liz Kendall, Labor Member of Parliament for Leicester West, attacked the Government’s cuts to funding the Health and Safety Executive and other enforcement agencies in recent years.

It is absolutely unacceptable that every year there is a new story of exploitation in Leicester’s factories and the Government can’t deal with it. It is they who have the power to overcome the failure of law enforcement, he said.

The city council has tried to get all the different law enforcement agencies to work together under OperationTacit but they don’t have the power they need.

The government said it planned to set up a new watchdog, but there was no employment bill in the Queen’s Speech to make it happen the bill was nowhere to be seen. This issue is clearly not a priority for them, and rightfully so.

It’s a big disappointment at Leicester. How much longer? And what is it? [the watchdogs] power will be? They didn’t even bother to appoint a new Director of Labor Market Enforcement whose position was still vacant.

Retailers have compensated workers for illegally low wages and dangerous health and safety issues and where are their links to unions to help raise standards?

Kendall argued that investors in low-priced retailer Boohoo whose orders dominate Leicester’s textile sector and whose supply chain faced allegations of exploitation last year should be held accountable as well.

Unless you’re under pressure not only from government regulations but also from the financial side, to hit these people where it hurts, you’re not going to see any change, he said.

Boohoo has made a lot of money in the past year and has suffered nothing as a result of the scandal. While workers lost their jobs as usual, those with the least power suffered the most.

Boohoo has said it is committed to eradicating every instance of worker exploitation and has been working closely with the authorities to achieve this.

A spokesperson added: We have been involved with MsKendall for over a year now. We have ensured that MsKendall has had the opportunity to speak with Sir Brian Leveson, who oversees our Agenda for Change program, whenever he requests, and they had a very productive conversation.

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Disgraced Leicester clothing factory director faces no legal action and is still in business

Andrew Bridgen, the Conservative MP for North WestLeicestershire, has called on the Government to do more but has also condemned the Labor-dominated Leicesters city council for not effectively addressing the issue.

Labor Jonathan Ashworth, South Leicester MP and shadow Health Secretary, hit back, saying: Last summer Priti Patel pledged to use the full force of the law to stamp out this exploitation. Twelve months later we are still waiting for meaningful action.

Local Tory MPs have made headlines on the issue and spoken out heavily, but vulnerable workers continue to be abused and exploited. They deserve better than being made into political football.

In the past 12 months, Leicester Labor MPs have worked with unions and local community groups to offer support. But we need actual enforcement of the government agencies that Tory MPs and the Home Secretary have promised us.

The Home Office said it had taken swift and appropriate action to address any exploitation, non-compliance and lawlessness following allegations of serious labor exploitation at Leicester.

He added that Operation Tacit continues to respond to intelligence and that the Government spends 33 million a year on the enforcement of state labor rights.