Shamed Gangmaster Had Construction Links

Construction union UCATT have renewed their call for the Gangmasters Licensing Act to be extended to the construction industry, after conducting an investigation and discovering that a gangmaster who had recently lost their licence had construction links.

This week the Gangmaster Licensing Authority stripped Timberland Homes Ltd, trading as Timberland Homes Recruitment of their gangmasters licence.

The company based in Brandon Suffolk had been supplying labour to flower picking companies. It was discovered that the mainly Polish workers were paid just 4 pence per each bunch of flowers picked, some workers earned just £24 for a nine hour shift. Workers were not free to leave and were threatened, with a letter saying they or their family would have to pay £700, if they left the contract early. Workers did not give their consent for accommodation and transport charges. They were also forced to share unlicensed substandard accommodation.

Following an investigation by UCATT’s Eastern Region, it has been discovered that Timberland Homes also have construction links. Immediately adjacent to the companies registered office and headquarters is a construction site. UCATT has photographic evidence that the site is signed Timberland Homes.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said; “The treatment these workers have endured is entirely disgraceful. I congratulate the GLA on its sterling work on uncovering these abuses. However I cannot believe that a company which treated one set of workers so poorly is entirely above board and a good employer in another sector. It is crazy situation that the GLA is barred from investigating all aspects of this appalling company.”

The GLA are only able to investigate and licence gangmasters operating in the agricultural, food processing and shellfish collection sectors. Even if a gangmaster is stripped of its license in one of these sectors and also operate s in non-licensed sectors, the GLA is not allowed to investigate.

During the past 12 months UCATT have developed a substantial dossier of abuses undertaken by gangmasters/labour only employment agencies in the construction industry.

The use of ganged labour in the construction industry has dramatically increased in recent years. The high number of migrant workers in Britain and the increased casualisation in the industry, are the key factors behind these new patterns of employment.

A recent survey undertaken by UCATT discovered that across Britain 28.2 per cent of construction sites had some level of gangmaster activity operating on them and that in London and the South East the figure was 69.7 per cent.

Last week Paul Whitehouse the Chairman of the GLA, called for all sectors to be licensed by his organisation, he said: “I have absolutely no doubt the Government passed the law in order for people not to be exploited. I can’t see why if you work in one area you should be protected but not in another.”

For Further information contact Barckley Sumner on 0780 2329235