Global boycott of Uzbek cotton due to state-sanctioned forced labour ends
KnowTheChain’s monthly newsletter shares worker perspectives, the latest from the KnowTheChain team, and updates and resources on forced labor in supply chains in the business and human rights sphere.
From workers
Human Rights Watch calls on FIFA to investigate wage abuse alleging that World Cup Contractor Bin Omran Trading and Contracting has failed to pay workers for up to five months and workers have accumulated significant debt to meet their living expenses. Human Rights Watch also reviewed documents sent by the company’s management to employees asking them to continue working despite delayed and unpaid salaries under the threat that they would otherwise face further wage deductions.
Forced labour: The latest developments
Cotton Campaign has ended its call for a global boycott of cotton from Uzbekistan following the publication of a report by Uzbek Forum for Human Rights which found no evidence of central government-imposed forced labour in the 2021 harvest period.
US Customs and Border Protection seizes USD 2.5 m in palm oil shipments produced by Sime Darby Plantation Berhad and its subsidiaries, joint ventures, and affiliated entities in Malaysia, over a forced labour finding.
The Spanish Government has launched a consultation on the development of a human rights due diligence law to establish binding obligations for Spanish transnational companies and transnational companies operating within Spain to implement due diligence throughout their supply chains.
Chinese sports company Li-Ning denies the US claim of using North Korean forced labour in its supply chains as exports are banned by US Customs and Border Protection by failing to disprove the rebuttable presumption that all goods made by North Korean workers are the result of forced labour.
For further news on forced labour in relation to business and human rights see the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre website.
Resources
The Canadian Government published a report on labour exploitation in global supply chains in a move closer to introducing legislation to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and advancing concrete action to ensure that Canadian companies address risks.
The IOM has released migrant worker guidelines for employers to promote ethical recruitment and responsible employment, proposing concrete steps for employers to take across various sectors to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are respected.
View past issues of our newsletter in our Newsletter Archive.