WIREDGOV

Commenting on yesterday’s (Tuesday) announcement by the government to reform the powers, function and scope of the Gangmaster’s Licensing Authority (GLA), TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“The GLA has played a crucial role in clamping down on rogue employers and preventing abuses like the Morecambe Bay tragedy through its licensing of labour providers.  

“We are concerned that government proposals to make licensing more flexible will lead to fewer workplace inspections, leaving workers more vulnerable to exploitation. 

“A weaker ‘more flexible’ vetting process puts workers at risk of victimisation, not being paid the national minimum wage or holiday pay, and being housed in squalid conditions.  It increases the chances of bad employers undercutting good ones.

“The government has chosen to ignore the views of many stakeholders. Only a fifth of stakeholders supported a move to a more flexible approach to licensing.

“It is also very troubling that ministers have yet to spell out how they will resource the expanded remit of the new Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority.

“If the GLA is to be given new powers and a broader remit, then it must be properly funded. The absence of detail on this is worrying.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
• Follow the TUC on Twitter: @The_TUC and follow the TUC press team @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:

Alex Rossiter  T: 020 7467 1285  M: 07887 572130  E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols  T: 020 7467 1388  M: 07808 761844  E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk
Michael Pidgeon  T: 020 7467 1372  M: 07717 531150  E: mpidgeon@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson (Mon to Wed)  T: 020 7467 1337  M: 07900 910624  E: egibson@tuc.org.uk
Kay Atwal (Wed and Thur)  T: 020 7467 1385  M: 07941 547469  E: katwal@tuc.org.uk