The present USA Administration knows no shame. Most recently it has imposed new tariffs ostensibly to punish countries for failing to do enough to curb forced labour. For one, it coincides with the Supreme Court making a exceedingly rare Supreme Court ruling against the current Federal government struck down tariffs imposed on the equally spurious grounds of national emergencies. The absence of shame comes from the reality and scope of prison labour in the country, frequently forced “mandatory chores” as they call it in the prisons of In Alabama. In seven southern states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas – almost all work by prisoners remains unpaid whether in plantations, poultry “processing” and construction.
Thanks to investigation by Repórter Brasil labour inspectors reportedly found 35 workers at Fazenda Reata, in Mato Grosso, working in conditions classified under Brazilian law as analogous to slavery, including overcrowded housing and degrading working conditions. This despite it previously held sustainability certifications, including licensing under the Better Cotton Initiative and certification under the Round Table on Responsible Soy standard. This raises questions about how effectively such schemes identify and prevent labour violations. The farm allegedly supplies US agricultural giant Bunge, whose subsidiary Viterra exports cotton to major textile manufacturers across Asia, among them Pakistan’s Artistic Milliners and Nishat Mills, and India’s Maral Overseas. These manufacturers reportedly supply global fashion brands including Gap, Adidas, Lacoste, Levi Strauss & Co and PVH, owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.
A series of partial strikes and threats of more have continued at the BHP mining company’s iron ore operation at Port Hedland, Australia has dragged on since early July. Three separate unions have not been enthusiastic for conflict but it has slowed down work at this “chokepoint” important to the non-stop export of the ore to China.
Human Resources software company Workday faces a US lawsuit alleging that its AI-powered recruitment tools discriminate against job applicants. The case originally filed in 2023alleges that its screening tools discriminate against Black, older and disabled people and in a new case on gender grounds. The recruitment platform Pymetrics algorithms have it is alleged such built-in biases.