LONDON – Months after issuing a letter to the UK government which called for urgent action to tackle cases of worker exploitation in the country’s textiles industry, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reports that there has been no “significant action… to bring this injustice to an end”.
Following up on its July enquiry, the BRC – again backed by MPS, fashion brands and NGOs – says there’s been no evidence to suggest authorities have made progress in addressing cases of illegally low pay and poor conditions at garment factories.
Speaking with the BBC, the Home Office has described the exploitation of vulnerable workers as “despicable” and insists it will clamp down on perpetrators only when its specialist taskforce – led by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority – identifies specific instances.
