Friday, 14 September 2007

Building unions call for Gangmasters to be reined in.

TUC Congress today overwhelmingly backed a motion calling on the government to extend the Gangmasters Licensing Act to the construction industry.

Since the GLA came into force in 2006 there has been a stream of rogue gangmasters who have moved from organising in agriculture into the construction industry.

Unions working in construction have unearthed a growing list of abuses by gangmasters. The vast majority of abuses involve migrant labour.

Gangmasters are increasingly targeting migrant workers as their vulnerability makes them easier to exploit.

These include pay levels below agreed industry minimum rates, excessive hours, unfair deductions and high levels of intimidation and threats.

Gangmasters operating on public sector projects have been found to be paying wages below the minimum wage.

The abuses are as likely to happen on major construction sites operated by the big construction companies, as on small construction projects.

In his TUC speech this week the prime minister Gordon Brown said "no employer should be allowed to impose unsafe or unacceptable conditions".

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction union UCATT, said: "The government must deliver on Gordon Brown's promise and extend the gangmasters legislation to the construction industry. The levels of abuse and exploitation that have been uncovered is truly shocking, action is needed now."

Jack Dromey, Unite deputy general secretary said: "Rogue gangmasters are the scourge of society. They exploit and put lives at risk. It is time they were stopped once and for all. By extending the gangmasters act to construction we will put all the bad employers on notice. They should have no place on any of our sites or in any of our workplaces."