Between ‘Modern Slavery’ and ‘Decent Work’: Responses to Labour Exploitation

This event explores the meaning - for legal standards, policy, and law enforcement - of using a negative framework (‘modern slavery’) that emphasises extreme forms of exploitation society aims to abolish, compared with a positive framework ('decent work'), one emphasising more ideal notions of how work should look like. Modern slavery comprises the worse forms of labour exploitation. Under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 it includes slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. Conversely, decent work as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) is aspirational, and refers to employment opportunities, adequate earnings and productive work, decent working time, combining work with family and personal life, stability and security of work, equal opportunities, safe work environment, social security and social dialogue. The event starts with a panel discussion on labour law and public law (moderated by Maayan Niezna), followed by practitioners’ roundtable to consider the meaning of the different frameworks in practice for policy, law enforcement, and compliance of businesses (moderated by Elinor Buys). Please note that the Q&A sections of this event have been removed. Panel: Labour Law and Public Law Speakers: Deirdre McCann, Anne Davies, Elinor Buys Moderator: Maayan Niezna Roundtable: Policy and Practice Speakers: Neill Wilkins, Frank Hanson, Kate Roberts, Aké Achi, Peter McAllister