Dyson—UK Supreme Court cleared forced labour lawsuit against Dyson to proceed after migrant workers alleged trafficking and debt bondage at Malaysian supplier factories
The UK Supreme Court refused Dyson's appeal in May 2025, allowing 24 migrant workers' forced labour claims to proceed in English courts. Workers from Nepal and Bangladesh alleged they were trafficked to Malaysia and subjected to forced labour, assault, false imprisonment, and debt bondage at ATA Industrial and Jabco factories which manufactured Dyson products. Workers earned as little as $10/day, had passports confiscated, lived in dormitories with up to 80 people per room, and some were jailed for visa irregularities. Dyson was notified by a whistleblower in 2019 but disputes knowledge. Trial set for April 2027. Leigh Day contacted by hundreds of additional potential claimants.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supply Chain Ethics | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.590 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.59)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (1 signal)
UK Supreme Court refused Dyson's appeal, clearing forced labour claims by 24 migrant workers to proceed in English courts
The UK Supreme Court dismissed Dyson's appeal on May 1, 2025, allowing claims by 24 Nepali and Bangladeshi migrant workers to proceed. Workers allege trafficking, forced labour, debt bondage, assault, and false imprisonment at ATA Industrial and Jabco supplier factories in Malaysia. Workers earned as little as $10/day, had passports confiscated, and lived in dormitories with up to 80 people. Leigh Day reported contact from hundreds more potential claimants. Trial set for April 2027.