Jason Judd is the executive director of the Cornell University Global Labor Institute in New York City, where the focus is improving global labour practices. He has been a labour organiser, campaigner, policy analyst, researcher and “labour diplomat” in the US and South East Asia. His institute’s latest research – written with UK-based fund manager Schroders – lays out the costs for workers of climate breakdown, and how we might deal with them.
How do you start your working day?
First, it’s “telegrams and anger”, but I try to keep it short! Then I run or ride my bike from Brooklyn to the Cornell offices in midtown Manhattan. Some of my best thinking happens when I’m crossing the East River on the Williamsburg (Sonny Rollins) Bridge.
What has been your career high?
In the first half of my career, the high was helping Cambodian hotel workers build their first unions in 2002-3 and then to organise the industry. They used everything we had to hand from strikes to President Lula’s labour ministry to win. This was thrilling and transforming, but very hard to repeat. In the second half of my career, it was receiving calls last year – all in the same week – from US investors, legislators, global fashion brands, EU corporate justice campaigners and Bangladeshi unions to say that our climate-labour analysis is re-shaping their approach.
What has been the most challenging moment of your career?
Violence and threats of violence or arrest against the people I work with has to top the list. Next is watching workers’ issues traded away or rolled back in policy (or purchase orders) in Washington, Brussels, London or Bangkok. I was in Dhaka, Bangladesh again in March, and drove past the site of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building that killed more than 1,100 garment workers. It’s still mostly tragedy or interruptions to trade that create change for workers in global supply chains.
If you could give your younger self career advice, what would it be?
Less fox, more hedgehog. With my brain space shrinking, I now wish I’d spent less time on mastering technical detail of so many issues and more time on the problem of power. It’s not lack of technical “solutions” that’s allowing absurd levels of inequity in the US, UK and around the world.
Which political figure inspires you?
President Lula of Brazil. He’s the hedgehog’s hedgehog: tough but adaptive, smart, thinks for himself and dances well.
What policy or fund did the Conservative government get right?
The direction of travel on forced labour enforcement in the UK – namely, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) – looked right. But Tory cuts to its funding have eaten into results for workers.
And what policy should the new government scrap?
The UK’s Modern Slavery Act. The world of work is changing fast so corporate disclosure in lieu of accountability is now way off pace. The EU’s and US’s bans on goods made with forced labour are the new standards.
What upcoming UK policy or law are you most looking forward to?
I’ll be watching closely the result of the Tesco Thailand forced labour ruling. And I’m looking forward to seeing what the new Labour government does to extend corporate duty of care to supply chain practices and set trade policies that protect workers the way they do firms and investment.
What piece of international government policy could the UK learn from?
The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. It aims to hold leading firms liable for harms to workers and the planet. No more “we didn’t know”. A few large UK firms have backed it.
If you could pass one law this year, what would it be?
For Brits? Maybe an OBE for the journalist Marina Hyde then a ban on all honours. For Americans, public finance only for political campaigns. We’re a mess.
Content from our partners
Related
