For many women, especially migrant women and working class women with young children, outwork/homework is the only available job option. ‘Captive Labour’ examines the working conditions faced by outworkers and looks at the positive actions which have been taken by the workers and campaign groups. Leicester Outwork Campaign is just one of the many groups which have been formed to highlight the exploitative nature of outworking.

Outworkers often work without health and safety regulations; in isolation; without union protection; below minimum wage levels and without job security and satisfaction. The outworkers featured in this video all did so with the risk of losing their jobs. Their employers, often large profit making retail companies, benefit through reduced overheads, since outworkers work at home using their own electricity, they receive no holiday or sick leave pay and are paid less than factory workers. For the outworkers the low levels of pay isn’t as the employers believe, “pin money”, but income needed to survive.

Many of the outworkers are migrant women who already face different levels of racial discrimination. Migrant campaign groups have enabled women to meet, discuss common issues and gain support and advice. All the campaign groups work to improve working conditions and effect statutory changes, as well as offering women advice on national insurance, assertive training, interview techniques, legal rights and more.

Description source: Cinema of Women Catalogue Supplement (1989) compiled by Jenny Wallace.