Cathy Feingold, International Director, AFL-CIO, YES
From electronics factories in Malaysia, to Brazilian sugar cane fields and the seafood industry in the United States, millions of workers are victims of forced labour. In total, almost 21 million people toil under conditions of forced labour, the majority exploited by private enterprises. A new global regulatory architecture – underpinned by the enactment of binding legislation – is necessary in order to promote corporate accountability.
Currently, the structure of the global economy relies on cheap and exploited labour, which in many cases encourages the use of forced labour. Forced labour is rooted in an intentional corporate strategy that seeks to maximise profits, lower wages, and avoid accountability at the expense of workers’ rights. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that the total illegal profit gained through the use of forced labour amounts to $150.2 billion per year. Major brands are often complicit in this system when they pressure suppliers, subcontractors, and labour recruiters to keep costs low, while turning a blind eye to the exploitation that contributes to vast corporate profits.
