Modern Slavery in the UK: Hidden Behind Silence Migrant Domestic Workers in the United Kingdom Contemporary Bearings, Legal Impediments and Feasible Solutions
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Abstract
Slavery, a term once used only for the past, has re–emerged in new era of globalization and transnational movement of persons across borders. Migrant domestic workers (MDWs) are immensely dependent upon the employer, which consequently creates “slavery–like” conditions for many migrant domestic workers. Using the United Kingdom as an example of migrant’s rights in a developed country, we are able to view the stringent separation of migrant domestic workers’ right’s both nationally and internationally. Legal impediments, specifically the overseas domestic worker visa “no–change” of employer visa, thoroughly impedes the domestic workers right to change employer and thus keeps them in fear, resulting in silence. On an international basis, the United Kingdom has also not ratified the International Labour Organization Domestic Workers Convention No.189. Therefore domestic workers are not covered by its protective regulations. From analysis of data gathered during a research trip to London, this paper presents the concluding evidence of working condition problems of migrant domestic workers and provides applicable solutions for future improvement.