Trade union rights are central to preventing forced labor. Industries with strong trade union representation have lower levels of labor abuse, child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking. In Thailand, where migrant workers are legally barred from forming their own unions, labor abuse and exploitation are endemic to the country’s migrant-dominated labor sectors, such as seafood processing and fishing.

Time for a Sea Change compiles analysis of the industry and legal environment to demonstrate that reform will continue to fall short for as long as migrant workers remain without rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Without such rights, forced labor and human trafficking will remain prevalent in the Thai seafood industry. The report also provides five case studies of attempts by migrant workers to organize and exercise their rights, where they have faced numerous challenges but also found some success.

Read the full report here.