Dozens of women in Argentina have accused Opus Dei of coercing them into domestic servitude from childhood, alleging exploitation and trafficking between 1972 and 2015. These women, recruited from impoverished backgrounds, were promised education and opportunities but instead endured 12-hour workdays without pay, extreme control over their lives, and limited access to education or outside contact. A two-year Argentinian investigation has led to federal prosecutors accusing senior Opus Dei leaders of overseeing this alleged abuse, a claim Opus Dei vehemently denies. The case is now before a judge to determine whether it will proceed to trial.
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A landmark lawsuit filed against Bumble Bee Foods alleges the tuna giant knowingly benefited from forced labor, debt bondage, and physical abuse of Indonesian fishermen in its supply chain. Four fishermen detail horrific conditions, including severe injuries and denial of medical care, aboard vessels supplying Bumble Bee. This is the first known case of its kind against a US seafood company, highlighting the often-opaque nature of the global fishing industry and the vulnerability of migrant workers. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and systemic changes to prevent future abuses within Bumble Bee’s supply chain, leveraging Bumble Bee’s own “Trace My Catch” tool to link the company directly to the implicated vessels.
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In West Virginia, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz were each sentenced to lengthy prison terms—215 and 160 years, respectively—for forcing their five adopted Black children into labor. The couple, who moved the children across state lines before settling in West Virginia, were found guilty of human trafficking, child neglect, and forced labor after a welfare check revealed the children’s horrific living conditions. The judge condemned the couple’s actions, highlighting the stark contrast between the children’s suffering and the state’s idyllic image. The victims delivered powerful impact statements, expressing their resilience and denouncing their abusers.
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Four Indonesian fishermen filed a lawsuit against Bumble Bee Foods, alleging forced labor, physical abuse, and denial of medical care while working on vessels within the company’s supply chain. The complaint details instances of beatings, stabbings, and the withholding of wages, with workers essentially held captive at sea due to imposed debt and the perpetual nature of the fishing operations. The plaintiffs seek damages and systemic changes to ensure fair wages, adequate care, and regular port returns for all workers in Bumble Bee’s fishing network. The lawsuit aims to prevent similar exploitation and secure justice for those currently working under similar conditions.
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The plight of North Koreans forced to work on Chinese fishing vessels, enduring conditions akin to a floating prison camp, is a stark reality highlighted by recent reports. These individuals are essentially trapped at sea, often for a decade or more, without ever setting foot on land. The sheer scale of this forced labor, extending across years with no respite, is truly alarming.
This situation isn’t just a matter of harsh working conditions; it’s a systematic abuse that deprives individuals of their basic human rights. The absence of contact with family and loved ones, coupled with the lack of access to even a mobile phone, further underscores the isolating and dehumanizing nature of this forced servitude.… Continue reading
A new Amnesty International report details widespread exploitation of migrant workers in Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), including accounts of forced labor, sexual abuse, and unsafe working conditions. The report, based on interviews with 44 workers, reveals systemic issues such as wage theft, racial and gender-based violence, and employer-specific work permits that leave workers vulnerable. Amnesty calls for the program’s overhaul, advocating for open work permits and an end to discriminatory practices violating international human rights law. The Canadian government, while citing increased penalties for non-compliant employers and recent program modifications, faces mounting criticism for insufficient action to address the persistent and severe exploitation.
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A deadly van crash in Alabama, involving a work-release inmate driving six other prisoners, highlights the state’s extensive and controversial use of prison labor. The driver, with a history of escape and failed drug tests, was unsupervised and responsible for transporting inmates to jobs at private companies like Home Depot and Wayfair. Two prisoners died in the crash, raising concerns about the safety and ethical implications of Alabama’s profit-driven system of contracting out prison labor. This system, with roots in the convict leasing era, generates millions for the state while inmates face harsh conditions and low pay, often with little oversight. The incident underscores the broader issues of forced labor and exploitation within Alabama’s prisons.
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IKEA will pay €6m ($6.5m) to a German government fund set up to compensate victims of forced labour under the country’s communist regime. Political and criminal prisoners during the Cold War era were forced to build flatpack furniture for IKEA, which was aware that political prisoners were being used, according to an investigation by Ernst & Young. IKEA Germany said the payment was the result of a long-term discussion with the Union of Victims’ Associations of Communist Dictatorship. This is the first payment of its type and has been welcomed by advocacy groups who hope this will prompt other companies to follow. Germany’s parliament will vote on the establishment of the fund in the coming weeks.
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Boston area pizza shop owner, Stavros Papantoniadis, received a sentence of over eight years in federal prison for forcing employees into working under severe conditions and using violence and threats to ensure compliance. He was convicted in June on three counts each of forced labor and attempted forced labor. Papantoniadis employed undocumented workers, made them work 14-hour shifts seven days a week, and used surveillance cameras to monitor them. He also violently attacked a worker who tried to quit. The court also sentenced him to one year of supervised release and fined him $35,000.
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Milwaukee Tool recently came under fire for allegedly using Chinese forced prison labor at a supplier in Hunan Chishan Prison in China. The lawsuit claims that individuals at the prison were exploited and subjected to grueling work under dehumanizing conditions. Inmates were reportedly threatened and punished if they refused to work or did not meet production quotas, with punishments ranging from beatings to electric shocks. This revelation has sparked outrage and raised important questions about ethical business practices and human rights violations.
It is surprising to see a well-known company like Milwaukee Tool implicated in such a disturbing situation. Their claim of conducting “rigorous investigations” and cutting ties with the accused supplier may be a step in the right direction, but it does not erase the fact that forced prison labor was allegedly used in the production process.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood