The FCFTA Leicester team have been delivering the Level 1 Worker’s Rights and Labour Exploitation to various garment workers within the Leicestershire area.
The 10-hour course gives an overview into rights in the workplace covering such areas as how to apply for jobs safely, the National Minimum Wage, holiday pay and reading payslips. Along with how to identify the main signs of modern slavery and labour exploitation, and the ways to report concerns to the GLAA and law enforcement.
It is always brilliant to know that this course is making a positive difference and clamping down on employers that are operating unethically. The FCFTA team in Leicester recently received this case study:
‘When Divya (Assistant Manager at the FCFTA) taught me about Worker’s Rights and Labour Exploitation, I instantly understood that the job that my brother was working at was exploiting him and misusing his rights. She helped us to understand exactly what signs there are of exploitation, for example; a change in weight, attitude, among other things.
‘My brother was working with a company that claimed they were helping charities and required all workers to work (and survive) on a commission-based basis, whilst stating to pay a minimum of £19,000 a year (at least). My brother would leave for work at 8am and arrive home at 10pm every weekday, while having unpaid weekend trips for the company in new cities every week. He was expected to have 100 people sign up to a charity each week to get a minimum wage, and if this didn’t happen he would obviously not have enough to survive for the month. Although he was working day in and day out for this company for a month, he ended up with only £180 as his salary.
‘After the Worker’s Rights and Exploitation course, Divya helped me understand how to report such companies, i.e. through Gangmasters Labour Abuse Authority. I told my brother to report the company, and it has since been shut down.’
If you would like to know more about the Level 1 Worker’s Rights and Labour Exploitation course please tap here.