Looks like mistreatment of factory workers has caused the spike in Leicester

[Tellmetruth4]

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jun/30/some-leicester-factories-stayed-open-and-forced-staff-to-come-in

It’s unbelievable that unscrupulous employers can get away with paying their poor mainly immigrant staff below the minimum wage, force them to come to work even after they’ve tested positive telling them they are not to tell their colleagues and board up factory windows so passers by can’t see the factory is open.

Surely massive fines and imprisonment for the owners should be considered?

[CaptainMyCaptain]

The only positive here is that these people have been found out. Many other people have suffered as a result unfortunately.

[SometimesItRains]

If that’s true I find it quite shocking. Also that the workers clearly felt unable to question and publicise the conditions they were being forced to work in.

[KaptainKaveman]

Once we've left the EU we can look forward to much more erosion of workers' rights and exploitation. Oh good.

[babychange12]

And people moan about sweatshops in China/India etc but it's happening in our own backyard
Bet they were proudly displaying a made in England sticker on their clothing

[Toddlerteaplease]

I can easily imagine that it is true. It also explains why it's the North Evington area that is affected. Lots of terraced housing, deprived area and almost exclusively people from
Ethnic minorities living there.

[verybritishproblems]

Once we've left the EU we can look forward to much more erosion of workers' rights and exploitation. Oh good.

Yes I don’t think some people realise how much the EU was protecting our rights. Maternity leave and other benefits were all EU law I believe...

[BrightYellowDaffodil]

Sadly, this doesn’t surprise me. I had wondered why Leicester had been so badly affected but this would make a lot of sense.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

Once we've left the EU we can look forward to much more erosion of workers' rights and exploitation. Oh good.

I'm afraid that's true.

Having said that, the same outbreaks happened in Germany, look up Tönnies Fleisch.

[thegcatsmother]

Very There was maternity leave in the 70s, before we joined the EEC afaik.

[Hingeandbracket]

@KaptainKaveman

Once we've left the EU we can look forward to much more erosion of workers' rights and exploitation. Oh good.

You get today's award for weaving brexit into a story.

[Hingeandbracket]

@verybritishproblems

Once we've left the EU we can look forward to much more erosion of workers' rights and exploitation. Oh good.

Yes I don’t think some people realise how much the EU was protecting our rights. Maternity leave and other benefits were all EU law I believe...

What a load of rubbish. These events have occurred in the transition period - a time where there have been no amendments at all to worker's rights. Where have the EU been in "protecting" these workers?

Our Maternity leave and pay exceed EU requirements and always have. You need to check your facts.

[Hingeandbracket]

@babychange12

And people moan about sweatshops in China/India etc but it's happening in our own backyard
Bet they were proudly displaying a made in England sticker on their clothing

Yes - and it was happening whilst we were in the EU - which people are trying to pretend guarantees workers rights in a way it really doesn't.

Pop Quiz - what is the EU law on minimum wages?

[Binterested]

I posted on another thread that N Italy is the biggest centre of modern slavery in Europe. Leicester is the biggest centre in the UK. I don’t think it’s a coincidence how hard hit both those regions have been.

[verybritishproblems]

Before being a member of the EU, UK women could be dismissed because of pregnancy, as it was seen as the equivalent to illness. EU law prohibited that.
Thanks to the EU, UK employers MUST provide pregnant workers with at least 14 weeks paid maternity leave, of which 2 weeks must occur before birth.
The EU Pregnant Workers Directive was instrumental in ensuring the health and safety at work of pregnant women and new mothers. When it was implemented in 1993, for example, it led to a right to paid time off for antenatal appointments, which was extended to many pregnant agency workers by another EU directive in 2011. UK employers must now give pregnant employees the option of parental leave and provide for paid time off for antenatal appointments during working hours.
Employees are entitled to return to their job after maternity leave. And they can have extra time off for family reasons, accidents, or illness of children.
And last but by no means least, prevents dismissal on the grounds of pregnancy ensures pregnant and breastfeeding workers are not obliged to perform duties that would jeopardise their safety or health.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

The Equal Pay Act 1970 predated the U.K. joining the EC

Not all rights came from Europe

[annabel85]

It's no wonder BAME communities are disproportionately affected.

[TinyPigeon]

I think it's a fair point but could we not derail into Brexit?

I want to know what brands are made in these factories? Surely they can't use the usual excuse of oh, we outsourced to India we didn't know what was happening?

Absolutely shocking that workers are treated so poorly in this country, that it is known about and noone does anything?! If it's an open secret as per the article why is no action taken?

[Kaiisaclay]

That’s shocking! The company should be massively punished

[verybritishproblems]

Apologies was told to check my facts so provided some facts. Agree we shouldn’t derail the thread.

I want to know what brands are made in these factories?

Same.

[Proudboomer]

I know I am going to get shot for posting a daily mail link but look at the pictures of these factories

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8476065/Clothes-factory-bosses-Leicester-vow-defy-city-lockdown.html

They are shit holes and I am sure they are a breeding ground for a lot more than cv19.

[BeijingBikini]

I hope all the people being outraged on here never buy any fast fashion.....otherwise you're being completely hypocritical.

[Hoppinggreen]

No I don’t buy “fast fashion” but I do want to know which retailers use these suppliers in case it’s not just the cheap stuff they are churning out

[BarbaraofSeville]

I want to know what brands are made in these factories

The Guardian article linked upthread says that 75% of Boohoo's clothing is made in Leicester.

The great sadness being that it's still mostly made by South Asian women in sweatshop conditions for criminally low wages. And if the employees themselves haven't come to Britain for a 'better life' then their parents and grandparents will have done just that.

[dontdressme]

I hope all the people being outraged on here never buy any fast fashion.....otherwise you're being completely hypocritical.

So everyone should just shrug and go, "Meh"?

[Tellmetruth4]

According to the Guardian article, Boohoo.com accounts for 75% of Leicester production.