Vulnerabilities to Modern Slavery? Predicting the presence and location of informalised workplaces in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

现代奴隶制的脆弱性？

• 批准号: AH/V009036/1
• 负责人: Ian Clark
• 金额: $ 11.27万
• 依托单位: Nottingham Trent University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FV009036%2F1
• 关键词: Vulnerabilities; Modern; Slavery; Predicting; presence

Informalised businesses secure competitive advantage by labour exploitation, particularly migrant workers who tolerate insecure, irregular hours, wage underpayment and no holiday pay. Other aspects of modern slavery 'bond' labour to workplaces where accommodation and subsistence act as payment in kind. Since 2016, businesses using informalized employment and modern slavery annually generate 12% of Britain's GDP sustaining 2.5 million workers equal to 9% of formal private sector workers. The Covid-19 lockdown in Leicester has highlighted that these practices remain coercive and unsafe for workers but are potentially dangerous and life threatening beyond the site of employment. This research project focuses upon the following key issues:1.Estimating the scale and location of informal workplaces in specific sectors: Despite awareness of issues relating to the informal economy, there are no official estimates of the scale of this economic sector (and local sector case studies cannot be aggregated to generate sector-specific business totals). The first work package will therefore provide (a) an accurate estimate of the number of hand car washes, nail bars, and garment manufacturers in England and Wales, and (b) identify the spatial factors and neighbourhood characteristics that influence the location of these businesses. We draw upon information from Facebook and Google Maps, in conjunction with virtual drives through individual neighbourhoods via Google Streetview, to track down the presence of informalised businesses. Using official data sources and statistical modelling, we are then able to identify the distinguishing characteristics of those neighbourhoods containing hand car washes, nail bars or garment manufacturers - and those neighbourhoods that do not. This enables us to (a) predict those neighbourhoods across England and Wales where informal businesses are more likely to be located; and (b) understand the factors that shape the presence of these businesses - and how this can inform strategic enforcement and the targeting of interventions. The absence of this type of information has hitherto limited the ability of enforcement agencies to move from reactive, intelligence-led interventions towards proactive geographically informed actions.2.The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly restricted the movement of potential customers and workers in relation to informal businesses. Google Mobility data, however, has revealed distinctive spatial variations in the scale and location of journeys made by residents. The Clewer Safe Car Wash app enables consumers to register any concerns with the Modern Slavery Helpline. Utilising the mobility and Clewer data, this research will also examine the extent to which there is a relationship between the transformation of mobility levels, the ability of consumers to act as 'enforcement' agents (in relation to hand car washes), and the predicted location of hand car washes, nail bars, and garment manufacturers across neighbourhoods in England and Wales.3.Our research has already informed the activities of enforcement agencies more generally in relation to hand car washes. Using our partnership with these organisations, the final component of this research project will use site visits in conjunction with enforcement agencies to informal businesses to explore how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted upon employers, workers - and the extent to which it has facilitated or disrupted pathways into modern slavery.The knowledge and data generated by this research project will then be transformed into an online interactive resource and neighbourhood level map that will enable enforcement agencies to (a) better understand the nature and location of informal businesses; (b) target their interventions more effectively; and (c) tailor the nature of these interventions in relation to specific sectors within the informal economy.

非正规企业通过剥削劳动力，特别是那些忍受不稳定、不规律的工作时间、低薪和没有假期工资的移民工人，来确保竞争优势。现代奴隶制的其他方面将劳动力“束缚”到工作场所，在那里住宿和生活作为实物支付。自2016年以来，使用非正规就业和现代奴隶制的企业每年创造的GDP占英国GDP的12%，养活了250万工人，相当于正式私营部门工人的9%。莱斯特的新冠肺炎封锁突显出，这些做法对工人来说仍然是强制性的、不安全的，但在工作场所之外，它们可能是危险的、危及生命的。本课题主要围绕以下几个关键问题进行研究：估计特定部门非正规工作场所的规模和地点：尽管认识到与非正规经济有关的问题，但对这一经济部门的规模没有官方估计（地方部门的案例研究无法汇总以产生特定部门的业务总数）。因此，第一个工作包将提供(a)对英格兰和威尔士的手洗车行、美甲店和服装制造商数量的准确估计，以及(b)确定影响这些企业选址的空间因素和社区特征。我们利用来自Facebook和谷歌地图的信息，结合谷歌街景在各个社区的虚拟驱动器，来追踪非正规企业的存在。利用官方数据来源和统计模型，我们能够确定那些包含洗手车行、美甲店或服装制造商的社区，以及那些不包含这些社区的显著特征。这使我们能够(a)预测英格兰和威尔士非正规企业更有可能落户的社区；(b)了解影响这些企业存在的因素，以及这些因素如何为战略执行和干预的目标提供信息。迄今为止，由于缺乏这类信息，执法机构从被动的、以情报为主导的干预转向主动的、了解地理情况的行动的能力受到限制。Covid-19大流行显然限制了与非正规企业有关的潜在客户和工人的流动。然而，交通数据显示，居民出行的规模和地点存在明显的空间差异。Clewer安全洗车应用程序使消费者能够向现代奴隶制帮助热线登记任何问题。利用流动性和Clewer数据，本研究还将研究流动性水平的转变、消费者作为“执法”代理人的能力（与洗车有关）与英格兰和威尔士社区中洗车、美甲店和服装制造商的预测位置之间的关系。我们的研究已经为执法机构在洗手洗车方面的活动提供了更广泛的信息。利用我们与这些组织的伙伴关系，本研究项目的最后一部分将与执法机构一起对非正规企业进行实地考察，以探索Covid-19大流行对雇主和工人的影响，以及它在多大程度上促进或破坏了通往现代奴隶制的途径。该研究项目产生的知识和数据将转化为在线互动资源和社区地图，使执法机构能够(a)更好地了解非正规企业的性质和位置；(b)更有效地有针对性地进行干预；(c)根据非正规经济中的具体部门调整这些干预措施的性质。

项目成果

Presented at the Manchester Industrial Relations Society February 4th by Zoom

Zoom 于 2 月 4 日在曼彻斯特劳资关系协会发表

• 发表时间: 2021
• 作者: Ian Clark

Persistently non-compliant employment practice in the informal economy: permissive visibility in a multiple regulator setting

非正规经济中持续不合规的就业实践：多重监管环境中的宽容可见性

• DOI: 10.1093/cje/bead007
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Cambridge Journal of Economics
• 影响因子: 2
• 作者: Clark I

Disguising 'Taking Money Out of a Firm': Disconnection and Detrimental Consequences for Workers

伪装“从公司拿钱”：脱节和对工人的不利后果

• DOI: 10.1177/09500170221112872
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: Work, Employment and Society
• 作者: Clark I

How do licensing regimes limit worker interests? Evidence from informal employment in Britain

许可制度如何限制工人利益？

• DOI: 10.1177/0143831x20903095
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Economic and Industrial Democracy
• 影响因子: 1.5
• 作者: Clark I

Informalization in gig food delivery in the UK : The case of hyper-flexible and precarious work

英国零工食品配送的信息化：超灵活和不稳定工作的案例

• DOI: 10.1111/irel.12320
• 发表时间: 2022
• 期刊: A Journal of Economy and Society
• 作者: Mendonça P