The chairman of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority has complained about the level of resources his organisation has as it attempts to crack down on illegal gangmasters.
Paul Whitehouse made his comments on BBC Radio 4’s ‘The World Tonight’ during a report into the treatment of Latvian daffodil pickers in southern England.
He said: “We have not had […]

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The House Of Lords Economic Affairs Committee has decided to conduct an inquiry into the economic impact of immigration in the UK. The call for written evidence has now closed, and submissions from respondents including the Audit Commission, the Bank of England, Sainsbury’s, the National Farmer’s Union and the TUC can be accessed online: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/lords_economic_affairs/eaffwrevid.cfm

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The GMB and the TUC are joining forces today (Wednesday) to launch a free training service in London to improve Polish workers’ English and employment rights.
The GMB and the TUC’s Vulnerable Workers Project (VWP) will run the programme for Polish workers in the building services sector, such as security staff and cleaners. They will be […]

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The TUC has launched a new Polish website to support the increasing number of Polish workers in the UK: http://www.pracawbrytanii.eu/
The website - run by the TUC in partnership with Citizens Advice and Polish trade union Solidarnosc - explains the rights they can expect at work, from the minimum wage and working time to holiday entitlement […]

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The TUC has expressed disappointment at the Government decision to continue restrictions upon the migrant workers from Bulgaria and Romania. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
‘We are disappointed that the Government has decided to maintain these special restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian workers. The truth is that any EU citizen is free to come to […]

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The Gangmasters Licensing Authority has revoked the licence of a firm which failed to pay agricultural workers for 35 days. They reported that 40 Bulgarian workers had to scavenge for food in the fields where they worked because Cornwall-based Baltic Work Team Ltd had not paid them.
Paul Whitehouse, chairman of the GLA, said: “Revoking […]

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From April 2009 UK workers will be entitled to a minimum of 28 days holiday. This is becuase a change in the law means that bank holidays will no longer be allowed to count as part of the 20 days’ leave guaranteed under the EU Working Time Directive. It is being introduced in phases, with […]

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Conservative Shadow Economic Development Minister in the Welsh Assembly, David Melding, has backed the Wales TUC’s campaign to enforce the minimum wage more effectively.  The South Wales Echo reports Mr Melding’s comments that is is “unfair” that some rogue employers are cheating the system. “A fair and level playing field requires the effective enforcement of the […]

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