Underpaid and Unrecognized

Underpaid and Unrecognized, Volume 1, examines the complex relationship between state institutions and unfree labour within the United Kingdom. Rather than viewing unfree labour as a relic of the past, this legal and business study argues that modern state structures actively produce and profit from precarious workforces. The text investigates how certain sectors operate outside traditional labour rights and regulations, often with the direct involvement of government bodies.

Through four specific UK case studies, including prison work, workfare, immigration detention centre labour, and internships, the authors analyze how these practices generate surplus value for both the state and private corporations. This work in labor law and foreign and international law explores the legal status of these workers and the implications of privatized state functions. The analysis suggests pathways to reduce exploitation through collective action and the expansion of formal employment rights.