7 September 2019

...A group of academics, experts in the area of labour and human rights, modern slavery, and supply chains, have initiated an open letter in which they ask Coles and Woolworths to address labour exploitation and the risk of modern slavery.

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Coles and Woolworths have significant leverage to address modern slavery in the Australian horticultural sector, as they account for almost 70 per cent of market share for grocery sales.

To meaningfully address modern slavery, Coles and Woolworths must take a multi-stakeholder approach to supplier certification that involves workers and their representatives, and involve trade unions in labour rights education and in grievance procedures.

The relentless downward cost pressures forces farmers and suppliers to resort to cut-price labour to stay afloat, which significantly increases the risk of labour exploitation. Coles and Woolworths should ensure that all contracts with suppliers are sufficient to deliver at award wages to all workers.

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It is now up to Coles and Woolworths to show they understand what is required of them.