Fashion-workers Advice Bureau Leicester

That this House welcomes the launch of the Fashion-workers Advice Bureau Leicester (FAB-L), formerly known as L-GWASP (Leicester Garment Workers Advice and Support Project), a grassroots initiative to tackle wage exploitation in Leicester’s garment industry; considers this as vital due to the fact that, despite endemic exploitation being widely studied for over a decade, painfully little Government action has been taken to protect garment workers in Leicester; recognises as essential FAB-L’s mission to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable workers through awareness raising, disrupting exploitative practices, and protecting the rights of workers by promoting decent work; praises FAB-L’s holistic approach, which in addition to issues of low wages, under-payment, poor health and safety work conditions also promotes access to welfare and benefits advice, and offers support with poor living conditions, overcrowding, immigration and legal advice, domestic violence and harassment and form filling and letter writing; further praises FAB-L’s outreach community workers and the wide range of agencies - including the Ethical Trading Initiative, Labour Behind the Label and the Trade Union Congress – who will provide support, advice and assistance to garment workers; wishes FAB-L every success in building a vibrant and supportive community hub to combat the culture of neglect and exploitation that has been allowed to fester for far too long; and calls on the Government to match this grassroots initiative with a comprehensive policy agenda to end exploitation in Leicester’s garment industry.