UNISON demands higher human rights standards in PPE

UNISON has joined the lobby to bring in new laws to prevent UK businesses and public services from sourcing from companies that violate workers’ human rights. Evidence has emerged throughout the pandemic that PPE suppliers to the NHS were tied to severe, widespread human rights violations of workers in the global south. One of a number of known abusive suppliers is Top Glove, the world’s largest maker of rubber gloves. Top Glove have seen their profits triple in 2020, whilst investigations showed that gloves were being made by migrant workers forced to work in cramped conditions in Malaysian factories. Workers were housed in squalor with 25 workers sharing one dormitory, and reports show that in December 2020 alone, 5,000 workers had contracted COVID-19. Reports of human rights abuses in the PPE industry aren’t isolated to gloves. Gowns were reportedly being made with North Korean forced labour. And masks by ethnic Uighur in forced detention in China. Currently, there is no legal duty for companies to make sure they are not sourcing goods from suppliers who violate human rights. UNISON is working with the Core Coalition and Anti-Slavery International to build demand for a new law. UNISON is encouraging members to add their voice to a EU consultation that will affect UK headquartered companies by signing here. UNISON head of international relations Nick Crook said: “We want to hold businesses to account because our 1.3 million members working in health, local gov...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: Article human rights supply chains workers rights Source Type: news