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Every year on Human Trafficking Awareness Day, observed annually on February 22, Unifor takes a moment to reflect on the on-going fight against human trafficking and the role of unions in protecting the dignity and human rights of all individuals.
Trafficking remains largely invisible, operating in secrecy while victims are forced into gruelling conditions with little to no pay, no rights, and no way out. Human trafficking can take the form of sexual exploitation, labour trafficking, and domestic servitude.
Women and girls made up 94% of reported victims in Canada between 2014 and 2024, according to Statistics Canada. In this same period, 5,070 human trafficking incidents were reported by police services nationally. Men, boys, and gender-diverse people are also trafficked, including recent cases involving young Black boys in Ontario. Human trafficking can happen to anyone which is why we must remain vigilant in every workplace and every community.
The role of transport, supply chains and hospitality
Human trafficking is deeply connected to global supply chains and the transport sector. Workers in trucking, rail, shipping, and marine shipping have found themselves pressured into facilitating trafficking operations under threats to their employment or safety.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has extensively documented how supply chains can facilitate human trafficking and labour exploitation.
In the hospitality sector, hotels and short-term accommodations are often exploited by traffickers to isolate victims and conceal abuse. Workers in these sectors are important in identifying warning signs and helping to prevent exploitation.
Calls to action
Unifor calls on the government to take action by funding the enforcement of due diligence laws to ensure that companies take responsibility for preventing exploitation. Unifor has been propositional in this by recommending increased inspections and enhanced victim support services. By creating safer workplaces, unions like ours can help to dismantle trafficking networks.
Here are ways that Unifor activists can take action to stop human trafficking and support survivors:
- Advocate for systemic change: Urge policymakers to allocate funds for the enforcement of due diligence laws, ensuring that employers are held accountable for preventing human trafficking within their operations.
- Educate yourself and raise awareness: Learn about human trafficking and how it works, the signs, and how it manifests in different forms. Understanding can help you recognize and respond to human trafficking.
- Get help: If you think you might be a victim of human trafficking or think someone else may be, contact the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010 or @email.
The hotline is available 24/7/365 with support available in more than 200 languages. The hotline can connect callers to local service providers and/or emergency services in communities across the country.
Human trafficking must be eliminated in every workplace, every industry, and every community. That means strengthening our fundamental labour rights, enforcing corporate accountability, and ensuring survivors have access to justice, housing, and permanent immigration status.
