Thousands still at risk of slavery from bill loophole

Thousands could be left without protection from slavery and other human rights abuses as a result of a loophole in the government’s Employment Rights Bill.

- MILLIE COOKE

Charities and campaign groups plan to write to the home secretary to warn that migrant fishermen are “facing breaches of their human rights not to be held in slavery or servitude and not to perform forced or compulsory labour” if the government doesn’t take action to amend the law.

Currently, the new protections afforded by the bill would not extend to migrant fishers on the Seafarer Transit Stamp, a type of visa offered to workers on UK fishing vessels that operate outside of UK territorial waters – just 12 nautical miles off the coast.

There is no UK labour protection for these workers, even if they are employed by British companies, working on a UK-flagged vessel and selling into the UK supply chain, excluding them from even the most basic of employment law protections such as the national minimum wage.

In the letter to Yvette Cooper seen by The Independent, charities are demanding the government close this loophole to ensure all workers employed by UK-based firms are covered by new employment legislation.