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 the resources we would have liked and clearly in any enforcement activity it would be nice to have more resources. But we have only actually been enforcing since October last year and since that time we have refused 30 licences and revoked 32, two of those with immediate effect.”

The Labour MP Jon Cruddas has raised his concerns at the numbers of illegal gangmasters that appear to still be operating in the UK, despite the creation of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority after the Morecambe Bay tragedy that killed 23 Chinese cockle pickers in 2004.

Mr Cruddas said: “Truth be told, I am not particularly happy to say that ten years into a Labour government, and I am Labour MP, that this is allowed to happen. And it is allowed to happen.

“In many respects the use of migrant labour, all the patterns of inward migration, if you listen to the governor of the Bank of England, for example, have been a key ingredient in our macroeconomic successes over the last decade.”

He argued: “Well to me that is at the expense of basic conditions. I do not accept that economic model and we have got to do much more to choke off some of this.

“To me it is the most outstanding issue we face now: issues of democratic change, migration, abuse of migrant workers, ‘labour market flexibility’ as it is euphemistically known.”

Mr Cruddas concluded: “You can have a fair employment inspectorate. This is not beyond our imagination to resolve if we have the political will to do so.”
 

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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 offered free English language training and information on their employment rights, including how they can find support to enforce their rights.

 The project aims to tackle the widespread exploitation of vulnerable workers, many of whom do not receive their full entitlement to wages, paid holidays, sick leave or have written contracts. A recent report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that less than half of Eastern European immigrants receive information about their employment rights. Low levels of English and a lack of awareness of employment rights can contribute to this exploitation, as workers are unable to stand up for their rights. The GMB and VWP joint programme aims to tackle both of these issues.
 

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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 and sick pay.

It also covers information about social issues such as housing and health and guidance about what living and working in the UK is really like.

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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 the UK and work as long as they are self-employed.

‘The main effect of the restrictions therefore is to force many Romanians and Bulgarians into bogus self-employment where they are more likely to face exploitation from employers who will use their weak position to drive down wages and conditions.

‘It is time to separate fact from prejudice in the debate on migrant workers. The UK economy now depends on a ready supply of migrant workers. As society ages we will become more dependent not less.

‘Of course there are problems caused by any sudden increase in the population of any area, but this is whether the population movement is across borders or within them. As migrant workers clearly contribute to economic success, it is right that Government should use a slice of this extra prosperity to provide the social infrastructure required, and stop the exploitation that can drive down wages and conditions.

‘Government should also ensure that every UK citizen has the skills and opportunity to find work. But politicians should beware of competing to appear tough on migrant workers who have crossed borders, and instead use the economic benefits to meet the social costs.’

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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 a licence with immediate effect is a serious decision and is only taken when we find significant non-compliance. The GLA was set up to curb the exploitation of workers and in the case of Baltic Work Team Ltd, we had to take action immediately to protect the workers.”

Despite these serious

breaches of employment law, it is still legal for Baltic Work Team Ltd. to rebrand and set up work in one of the many unlicensed sectors of the economy – the GLA’s powers only extend to those who supply workers to the agriculture, shellfish gathering, food and drink processing or packaging sectors in the UK.

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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 24 days a year from this October.

However, according to Incomes Data Services, even after the full 28 days is introduced the UK will still be at the bottom of the European holiday league table. Workers in Denmark get the most leave, with an entitlement to 39 and a half days, then Austria on 38 and Sweden with 36. After the UK, Holland and Ireland get the least amount of time off.

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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 minimum wage,” he said.

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