Labour Exploitation and Human Trafficking Explained

Labour Exploitation and Human Trafficking Explained

Exploited migrant workers often work long hours in poor conditions, which are below national standards and they often have little choice or possibility to change the situation ( Jokinen & Ollus 2019). Different features of labour exploitation are described in the picture on the next page. The vulnerability to severe exploitation and human trafficking increases significantly when a person is not able to leave the situation due to fear of punishment or other negative consequences, or when workers have to pay high recruitment fees and therefore find themselves in debt bondage (Lietonen & Ollus 2018).

The employment relationship may seem legal on paper, where the salary and working hours follow the applicable collective agreement or national stipulations, but in reality, a person’s bank cards may be withheld along with their passports or residence permits so that they do not have access to their earnings. Workers may sign legitimate employment contracts, but these contracts are not respected by the employer, or there may be other bogus contracts with different terms and conditions of employment than exist in reality (Lietonen & Ollus 2018). Furthermore, victims of exploitation may be unaware of their actual situation or be reluctant to seek help since exploitation is often linked to their dependent position in relation to the employer as a result of financial difficulties, a lack of options, a lack of knowledge of appropriate working conditions, a fear of consequences and a lack of knowledge of local languages or means of seeking help (Ollus 2016).

Working conditions may vary along a continuum from decent work where everything is in accordance with national legislation, international standards and conventions, to severe exploitation and trafficking where human and labour rights are seriously violated (Skrivankova 2010). Businesses should intervene in any form of exploitation they come across or encounter. This will effectively increase workers’ safety and reduce the risk of becoming more severely exploited. Needless to say, while social audits are effective in uncovering many issues on worksites, the role of businesses is limited to taking preventative steps to reduce and manage the risk of labour exploitation and trafficking, and to reporting incidents, if necessary, to the police or other authorities (see p. 55 for more information on what to do when suspicions arise). Severe cases of labour exploitation or even trafficking may also be difficult to identify because perpetrators often go to great lengths to make sure they are not detected. The next chapter outlines the risks for businesses in more detail.