Salford Councillors have signed up to the Co-Operative Party Charter against modern slavery.
The Charter includes ten points that the council pledges to enforce these include reviewing contractual spending annually and reporting on the implementation of the charter annually. The full list of pledges can be found on the Co-Operative Party’s website.
Councillor Jim King, Chair of the local Co-Operative Party Branch, proposed the motion to his fellow Councillors and was delighted with the response he received.
“I am very proud of the motion and I am very proud that everybody in the chamber supported the motion.
“There was absolutely nobody against it and that is including in the opposition party.”
The new Charter gives the ‘Council more spending power for social good’ according to Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett. Councillor King explained what that meant for the people of Salford.
The motion is to be used to make people aware that slavery still exists. It will not be used as a means of stopping slavery altogether.
“I don’t think anything can stop modern slavery in Salford or indeed in the UK or worldwide. What we are doing however is highlighting the issue.
“We know that modern slaves are hiding in plain sight, they are working amongst the modern economy in all sorts of places such as factories and car washes.
“With the motion there is a charter attached to it not only to ensure your employees aren’t slaves but also to make sure nobody in your supply chain is employing slaves either.”
The Councillor ended with a call to arms saying that we all need to play our part. It is only by being aware and reporting things that don’t look quite right that we can make a difference.
It has been 8 years since a 10 year old ‘virtual slave’ was found in a cellar in Eccles.
For more information or to report a case of modern slavery please call the helpline 0800 0121 700 or report it online on the modern slavery helpline website.
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