Dr Ella Cockbain
@drellac.bsky.social
Professor at UCL. Lead of Research Group on Human Trafficking,Smuggling & Exploitation. Researching precarious work & labour exploitation. New (free) book on anti-trafficking evaluation https://uclpress.co.uk/book/evaluating-anti-trafficking-interventions/
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
The seasonal worker visa’s structure impedes union organising, with workers in the country for no longer than six months. But with the scheme ongoing since the 2019 pilot and looking like it’s here to stay, it makes sense to ask whether major unions could be doing more to overcome these challenges
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
The seasonal worker visa’s structure impedes union organising, with workers in the country for no longer than six months. But with the scheme ongoing since the 2019 pilot and looking like it’s here to stay, it makes sense to ask whether major unions could be doing more to overcome these challenges
Next up in our solidarities feature, this vital piece on blindspots and tensions around trade union organising to support seasonal workers.
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
Farm workers go on unofficial strikes as their temporary visas create barriers to union membership
bit.ly
November 12, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Next up in our solidarities feature, this vital piece on blindspots and tensions around trade union organising to support seasonal workers.
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
By the brilliant @mellino.bsky.social as a collab between @beyondslavery.bsky.social & @tbij.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
‘An indictment of the trade union movement’: Why no one is organising seasonal workers
Farm workers go on unofficial strikes as their temporary visas create barriers to union membership
bit.ly
November 12, 2025 at 8:31 AM
I've been investigating the huge levels of exploitation faced by workers on the seasonal worker visa for the last few years, and have often asked myself why the trade union movement has ignored these workers.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
So I spoke to unions, big and small, to try and answer that question.
Next out in our final @beyondslavery.bsky.social feature is this brilliant piece by Jake Hall about Wages for Housework.
An important historical lens on solidarities beyond silos on the global stage, and the legacies of this trailblazing movement.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
An important historical lens on solidarities beyond silos on the global stage, and the legacies of this trailblazing movement.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
How Wages for Housework sparked an international movement
The 1970s movement paved the way for queer, Black, trans and sex working feminist organising across the world today
www.opendemocracy.net
November 11, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Next out in our final @beyondslavery.bsky.social feature is this brilliant piece by Jake Hall about Wages for Housework.
An important historical lens on solidarities beyond silos on the global stage, and the legacies of this trailblazing movement.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
An important historical lens on solidarities beyond silos on the global stage, and the legacies of this trailblazing movement.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Kicking us off is a fantastic piece about solidarities in action by Elene Lam & @chanellegallant.bsky.social .
Lots to learn here from Butterfly about how Asian migrant sex workers have organised across silos in Canada and the US.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Lots to learn here from Butterfly about how Asian migrant sex workers have organised across silos in Canada and the US.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
In the fight for sex workers’ rights, this is solidarity
Over 300 migrant sex workers took on city hall to keep their businesses, showing the power of collective organising
www.opendemocracy.net
November 10, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Kicking us off is a fantastic piece about solidarities in action by Elene Lam & @chanellegallant.bsky.social .
Lots to learn here from Butterfly about how Asian migrant sex workers have organised across silos in Canada and the US.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Lots to learn here from Butterfly about how Asian migrant sex workers have organised across silos in Canada and the US.
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Our last ever series on openDemocracy’s Beyond Trafficking & Slavery launched today.
It’s all about solidarity and we’ve got an amazing line up.
Feels good to leave on a more positive and hopeful note. Enjoy!
@beyondslavery.bsky.social @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
It’s all about solidarity and we’ve got an amazing line up.
Feels good to leave on a more positive and hopeful note. Enjoy!
@beyondslavery.bsky.social @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Solidarity beyond silos is our best bet to end exploitation
Far-right bullies are on the rise, and exploitation will likely rise with them. Cross-movement organising is the only way out
www.opendemocracy.net
November 10, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Our last ever series on openDemocracy’s Beyond Trafficking & Slavery launched today.
It’s all about solidarity and we’ve got an amazing line up.
Feels good to leave on a more positive and hopeful note. Enjoy!
@beyondslavery.bsky.social @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
It’s all about solidarity and we’ve got an amazing line up.
Feels good to leave on a more positive and hopeful note. Enjoy!
@beyondslavery.bsky.social @opendemocracy.net
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
🚨 We all want accountability for Big Tech, but the Online Safety Act’s moralising aims are hurting LGBTQ+ people and sex workers ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Online Safety: ‘Protect kids’ is pretext for rights erosions
We all want accountability for Big Tech, but the OSA’s moralising aims are hurting LGBTQ+ people and sex workers
www.opendemocracy.net
October 8, 2025 at 10:13 AM
🚨 We all want accountability for Big Tech, but the Online Safety Act’s moralising aims are hurting LGBTQ+ people and sex workers ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Excellent new series on refugees in the global economy. Really thoughtful pieces across a wide range of international contexts.
Labour markets and refugees are increasingly dependent on each other, but the markets always have the upper hand.
Aslı Salihoğlu and @cthibos.bsky.social kicking off our new series on refugee labour in the global economy ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Aslı Salihoğlu and @cthibos.bsky.social kicking off our new series on refugee labour in the global economy ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Disposable yet indispensable: refugees in the global economy
Labour markets and refugees are increasingly dependent on each other, but the markets always have the upper hand
www.opendemocracy.net
October 13, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Excellent new series on refugees in the global economy. Really thoughtful pieces across a wide range of international contexts.
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
The UK’s National Referral Mechanism traps migrant workers like Cynthia—who escaped abusive employers—in limbo without the right to work, leaving them vulnerable to re-exploitation. Advocates demand real protections beyond this ineffective “band-aid” system.
www.freedomunited.org/news/uk-surv...
www.freedomunited.org/news/uk-surv...
UK system trapping survivors in “the grey zone” - FreedomUnited.org
Survivors in the UK are being left without the right to work, trapped in a grey zone facing ongoing uncertainty and insecurity.
www.freedomunited.org
July 5, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The UK’s National Referral Mechanism traps migrant workers like Cynthia—who escaped abusive employers—in limbo without the right to work, leaving them vulnerable to re-exploitation. Advocates demand real protections beyond this ineffective “band-aid” system.
www.freedomunited.org/news/uk-surv...
www.freedomunited.org/news/uk-surv...
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
Harvard publisher cancels entire journal issue on Palestine shortly before publication www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Revealed: Harvard publisher cancels entire journal issue on Palestine shortly before publication
As Harvard’s feud with Trump escalated, so did tensions over an ‘education and Palestine’ issue of a prestigious journal. Scholars blame the ‘Palestine exception’ to academic freedom
www.theguardian.com
July 22, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Harvard publisher cancels entire journal issue on Palestine shortly before publication www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
Translation from the French of an unprecedented and shocking statement from the AFP news agency, saying that its journalists in Gaza are almost too weak to work anymore and are starving to death.
July 21, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Translation from the French of an unprecedented and shocking statement from the AFP news agency, saying that its journalists in Gaza are almost too weak to work anymore and are starving to death.
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
“Seeing the evidence of the roundups in front of us doesn’t necessarily lead people to do anything differently. But seeing other people push back sometimes does.”
I wrote about California, ICE, and the criminalization of immigrants and dissent.
ICE Is Making an Example of California
The repeated targeting of California workers is a deliberate spectacle, meant to show the rest of the country what to expect if we don’t fall in line.
newrepublic.com
July 18, 2025 at 5:13 PM
“Seeing the evidence of the roundups in front of us doesn’t necessarily lead people to do anything differently. But seeing other people push back sometimes does.”
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
Important @hannahjlewis.bsky.social critique of the damage caused by the victim narrative in anti trafficking discourse, especially in the context of @helenbamber.bsky.social @ecpatuk.bsky.social & ATLEU finding in 2024 only 4% of non British nationals confirmed as trafficked were granted leave
“Put a man on the front of our magazine and our donations will drop.”
On who gets to be a victim, and why anti-trafficking orgs haven't yet abandoned rescue narratives ✍️ @hannahjlewis.bsky.social
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
On who gets to be a victim, and why anti-trafficking orgs haven't yet abandoned rescue narratives ✍️ @hannahjlewis.bsky.social
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Could anti-trafficking survive without victims to rescue?
Critics demand that anti-trafficking organisations abandon rescue narratives. Here’s why they don’t
www.opendemocracy.net
July 15, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Important @hannahjlewis.bsky.social critique of the damage caused by the victim narrative in anti trafficking discourse, especially in the context of @helenbamber.bsky.social @ecpatuk.bsky.social & ATLEU finding in 2024 only 4% of non British nationals confirmed as trafficked were granted leave
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
"Sometimes rescue comes with public identification, which can lead to terrible outcomes...as when there is no firewall between the immigration authorities and support, employment, health or education environments."
@hannahjlewis.bsky.social highlights the need for secure reporting.
@hannahjlewis.bsky.social highlights the need for secure reporting.
Could anti-trafficking survive without victims to rescue?
Could anti-trafficking survive without victims to rescue?
Critics demand that anti-trafficking organisations abandon rescue narratives. Here’s why they don’t
bit.ly
July 15, 2025 at 9:17 AM
"Sometimes rescue comes with public identification, which can lead to terrible outcomes...as when there is no firewall between the immigration authorities and support, employment, health or education environments."
@hannahjlewis.bsky.social highlights the need for secure reporting.
@hannahjlewis.bsky.social highlights the need for secure reporting.
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
On Aug 7th we are launching our Migrant Sex Workers and Housing in Ireland research in collaboration with CATU Ireland, in Connolly Books.
At 7pm, Aug 7th a panel will discuss the barriers migrant sex workers face to accessing accommodation and what solutions sex workers want.
At 7pm, Aug 7th a panel will discuss the barriers migrant sex workers face to accessing accommodation and what solutions sex workers want.
July 15, 2025 at 12:06 PM
On Aug 7th we are launching our Migrant Sex Workers and Housing in Ireland research in collaboration with CATU Ireland, in Connolly Books.
At 7pm, Aug 7th a panel will discuss the barriers migrant sex workers face to accessing accommodation and what solutions sex workers want.
At 7pm, Aug 7th a panel will discuss the barriers migrant sex workers face to accessing accommodation and what solutions sex workers want.
Such a sharp and insightful piece on the politics of how victimhood is (mis)used in anti-trafficking.
By @hannahjlewis.bsky.social for @beyondslavery.bsky.social
By @hannahjlewis.bsky.social for @beyondslavery.bsky.social
Could anti-trafficking survive without victims to rescue?
Could anti-trafficking survive without victims to rescue?
Critics demand that anti-trafficking organisations abandon rescue narratives. Here’s why they don’t
bit.ly
July 15, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Such a sharp and insightful piece on the politics of how victimhood is (mis)used in anti-trafficking.
By @hannahjlewis.bsky.social for @beyondslavery.bsky.social
By @hannahjlewis.bsky.social for @beyondslavery.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
'She rejected the view that humanities and social sciences were less useful...than some other subjects, such as maths and science, describing them as “absolutely essential . . . both to living a full and prosperous life but also to addressing many of the challenges we face”.'
Universities in England at risk of long-term decline, says British Academy
Outgoing president Dame Julia Black calls on ministers to overhaul their ‘confused’ approach to higher education
www.ft.com
July 15, 2025 at 6:46 AM
'She rejected the view that humanities and social sciences were less useful...than some other subjects, such as maths and science, describing them as “absolutely essential . . . both to living a full and prosperous life but also to addressing many of the challenges we face”.'
Important study on children going missing and harms they suffer. Particular implications for improving safeguarding in relation to boys, child criminal exploitation & children with special educational needs.
ICYMI my 1st paper (with Caroline Miles, Réka Solymosi, Eon Kim & Riza Batista-Navarro) researching serious harm to missing children as part of my PhD has been published (free to access)
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
#missingchildren
#schoolexclusion
#cce
#cse
#sen
#autism
#adhd
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
#missingchildren
#schoolexclusion
#cce
#cse
#sen
#autism
#adhd
July 15, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Important study on children going missing and harms they suffer. Particular implications for improving safeguarding in relation to boys, child criminal exploitation & children with special educational needs.
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
#Newsnight I heard figures who appear capable of reading research claim no #IDcards & 'liberal' UK economy with a grey labour market pulls ppl to claim asylum. As someone who has focused for 20 years on evidencing labour market exploitation of asylum seekers, I must categorically refute these claims
Difficult to understand obsession - on part of both French and UK media - with "illegal working" as a "pull factor."
No systematic data/stats (AFAIK) but both anecdote and HO releases suggest small boat arrivals only a small % of those found working illegally.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
No systematic data/stats (AFAIK) but both anecdote and HO releases suggest small boat arrivals only a small % of those found working illegally.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Why is it still so easy for illegal migrants to work in Britain?
President Macron has a point — failure to enforce existing rules over hiring and a booming gig economy offer opportunities not available elsewhere in Europe
www.thetimes.com
July 11, 2025 at 8:06 AM
#Newsnight I heard figures who appear capable of reading research claim no #IDcards & 'liberal' UK economy with a grey labour market pulls ppl to claim asylum. As someone who has focused for 20 years on evidencing labour market exploitation of asylum seekers, I must categorically refute these claims
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
"In the two decades since the ICC was established, the court has not once prosecuted someone for trafficking."
We can't keep ignoring human trafficking in war. Read the piece by legal expert Julia Muraszkiewicz ⬇️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
We can't keep ignoring human trafficking in war. Read the piece by legal expert Julia Muraszkiewicz ⬇️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
We can't keep ignoring human trafficking in war
Human traffickers are rarely held accountable during or after conflict. This is dangerous for everyone
www.opendemocracy.net
July 10, 2025 at 8:42 AM
"In the two decades since the ICC was established, the court has not once prosecuted someone for trafficking."
We can't keep ignoring human trafficking in war. Read the piece by legal expert Julia Muraszkiewicz ⬇️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
We can't keep ignoring human trafficking in war. Read the piece by legal expert Julia Muraszkiewicz ⬇️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
Are grooming gangs the far right’s golden goose?
Continuing our 10 year anniversary series – read the interview with Louise Raw ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Continuing our 10 year anniversary series – read the interview with Louise Raw ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Are grooming gangs the far right’s golden goose?
The far right cynically uses child sexual exploitation to push an anti-migrant and islamophobia agenda
www.opendemocracy.net
July 8, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Are grooming gangs the far right’s golden goose?
Continuing our 10 year anniversary series – read the interview with Louise Raw ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Continuing our 10 year anniversary series – read the interview with Louise Raw ⤵️
www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr...
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
Sam Altman currently texting Musk begging him to turn the Grok nazi slider down before people start questioning AIs benefits to society
July 8, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Sam Altman currently texting Musk begging him to turn the Grok nazi slider down before people start questioning AIs benefits to society
Reposted by Dr Ella Cockbain
In case you're think Grok isn't being blatantly antisemitic, here's a few more posts from Grok on this topic.
July 8, 2025 at 8:34 PM
In case you're think Grok isn't being blatantly antisemitic, here's a few more posts from Grok on this topic.