[matkoniecz]

> It's meant in the sense of "coerced into working."

In case of slavery one is forced to work (and that is basically the best case).

With enough stuff like company scrip, company stores, ensuring that laws outlaw being homeless and deliberate breaking of relationship allowing people to escape you can get situation undistinguishable from slavery.

But just "if I will be fired then I am instantly homeless" is still markedly better than "my owner can force me to work to death in a mine".

And forces even horrible employees to be better option than begging friends/family/strangers for help. Slave owners have no need even for such bare minimum. To say nothing about less pathological cases where employees at least sort-of compete for workers.