Modern day slavery must end – Unite
28th May 2009
Speaking to the Scottish Women’s Convention conference in
Glasgow on the Human Trafficking of Women and Children, today
(Friday 29th May), Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary of Unite,
will call for “action to end modern day slavery”.
Summoning up the memory of the 22 Chinese cockle pickers who
died in Morecambe Bay, Mr. Dromey said: “From Morecambe Bay to
Arbroath and Angus, migrant workers are bought and sold by ruthless
gangmasters. People trafficking is an obscenity that scars
our society.
“At its most obscene, vulnerable workers are transported in
lorries at the dead of night to be exploited on farms and in
fisheries. But there are others who fall foul to what is also
a trafficking offence in international law. Too many migrant
workers who come to our shores are promised the moon but experience
the grim reality of exploitation on their arrival. Recruiting
migrants from their home countries, deceiving them as to what they
hope to earn and then dashing their hopes, that too is a crime.
“Everyone with responsibility has to act. We were proud to
organise the campaign in support of Glasgow MP Jim Sheridan’s
private members bill five years ago, that established the
Gangmasters Licensing Authority, following Morecambe Bay. The
GLA has driven out of business some of the worst elements, but
there is now evidence that those ruthless gangmasters are being
displaced into construction. The time has come, therefore, for the
government to extend the remit of the GLA to tackle exploitation of
the newly arrived in construction, ending the undercutting of
building workers here for generations."
ENDS
Notes for editors:
The Scottish Women’s Convention conference will take place in the
Teacher Building, St Enoch Square, Glasgow tomorrow, Friday 29th
May, commencing at 09:30am. Mr. Dromey will address the Conference
at 10:30am.
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
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