Precarious lives: refugees and asylum seekers’ experiences of forced labour

We are pleased to invite you to the launch of Precarious Lives, a report about refugees and asylum seekers’ experiences of forced labour in England.

We are especially pleased that Klara Skřivánková, Trafficking Programme Coordinator at Anti-Slavery International, Beryl Randall, Manager of the Employability Forum and Lisa Doyle, Advocacy and Influencing Manager at the Refugee Council will join us to be part of a panel to respond to the findings.

We will also hear about the launch of the Platform on Forced Labour and Asylum which will bring together academics, policy-makers and practitioners to take forward the research findings to develop strategies to tackle forced labour among refugees and asylum seekers.

The event is a chance to hear about the research findings and recommendations.

If you would like to attend please confirm your attendance by email to Hannah Lewis h.j.lewis@leeds.ac.uk by Wednesday 26th June.

We look forward to seeing you on the 2nd July, 3-5pm, Hurley House, 1 Dewsbury Rd, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS11 5DQ.

Peter Dwyer, Stuart Hodkinson, Hannah Lewis and Louise Waite

Precarious Lives research team

Put pressure on GAP and Debenhams to sign accord

The needless deaths of over 1,100 Bangladeshi workers in the Rana Plaza disaster have thrown the spotlight onto UK clothing companies. They need to ensure people making their clothes are able to do so in safety and dignity.

IndustriALL, the global union for garment workers, and UNI-global, representing retail workers, have developed an Accord on Fire and Building Safety.

Over 30 major retailers have signed the Accord, including H&M, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Next, Primark and Tesco. However, a number of High Street brands who manufacture in Bangladesh still haven’t signed. Prominent amongst these are Debenhams and GAP.

Please take a few moments to send an email via the Going to Work website, urging these companies to sign up.