Clause And Effect

In my work, we deal with a lot of subcontractors. Due to some legal updates, we have to issue an update to our terms and conditions. One of the updates is a clause explicitly forbidding the use of modern slavery, bribery, and fraud. We’re not really expecting much pushback on this, as it’s all in standard legalese, and the clauses are in the law anyway, but you add them into contracts to really emphasise them.

We had one contractor come back and claim, and I quote:

Contractor: “We find the request an infringement of our customer/basic human rights of privacy and, to say the least, onerous for us as a company. To use this as leverage, to adhere to the contract or lose work, is not acceptable to us. We find it morally wrong that you should attempt to control and repress your workforce in this unreasonable manner.”

I bring the contractor’s response to my manager.

Manager: “That’s bonkers. Well… okay then, toddle off somewhere else with your slaves in that case!”

Me: “I feel like I should be sending a tip-off to the police or something.”

Manager: “Look, contractors are idiots and don’t do words well. Message him back and re-emphasise that the legal update is that we are against modern slavery, bribery and fraud. Sometimes they read this legalese and think we’re for it.”

Okay, so I go do that. I message the contractor and then get a response.

Manager: “What did they say?”

Me: “They said they understood the first time, and they agree with the bribery and fraud part.”

Manager: “But… not the modern slavery part?”

Me: “I said what I said.”

Manager: “Yeah… okay… maybe we should tip off the police.”

My manager actually forwarded the email chain to a police detective, who said he would look into it. 

A month later, that contractor disappeared from our list as the company was shut down.