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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Clampdown move on rogue employers | Clampdown move on rogue employers |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A helpline to report the mistreatment of workers and illegal pay rates is being launched by the government to clamp down on rogue employers. | A helpline to report the mistreatment of workers and illegal pay rates is being launched by the government to clamp down on rogue employers. |
| A new board will coordinate the work of the groups which check that firms kept to the rules on treatment of staff. | A new board will coordinate the work of the groups which check that firms kept to the rules on treatment of staff. |
| Unions welcomed the move but said an opportunity to expand the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority had been missed. | Unions welcomed the move but said an opportunity to expand the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority had been missed. |
| They had wanted its remit to be extended to care workers, and the construction and hospitality sectors. | They had wanted its remit to be extended to care workers, and the construction and hospitality sectors. |
| Safeguard rights | Safeguard rights |
| An information campaign will be launched later to raise awareness of employment rights and how to enforce them. | An information campaign will be launched later to raise awareness of employment rights and how to enforce them. |
| These are very different labour markets and just to impose the same system there isn't guaranteed to work Tom Hadley Recruitment and Employment Confederation | These are very different labour markets and just to impose the same system there isn't guaranteed to work Tom Hadley Recruitment and Employment Confederation |
| And a new Fair Employment Enforcement Board, including trade union and business figures, will oversee the work of enforcement groups checking minimum wage payments, health and safety, employment agencies and gangmasters. | And a new Fair Employment Enforcement Board, including trade union and business figures, will oversee the work of enforcement groups checking minimum wage payments, health and safety, employment agencies and gangmasters. |
| Employment relations minister Pat McFadden said: "Compared to a decade ago there are three million more people in work in Britain and they all enjoy more employment rights than they would have in the past. | Employment relations minister Pat McFadden said: "Compared to a decade ago there are three million more people in work in Britain and they all enjoy more employment rights than they would have in the past. |
| "Important minimum standards on wages, paid leave, maternity leave and conditions have been put in place. | "Important minimum standards on wages, paid leave, maternity leave and conditions have been put in place. |
| "However, there are still dark corners of the labour market where rogue employers seek to mistreat their workers and more needs to be done to safeguard people's rights." | "However, there are still dark corners of the labour market where rogue employers seek to mistreat their workers and more needs to be done to safeguard people's rights." |
| Under the Gangmasters Licensing Act, everyone who supplies workers to the agricultural and food-processing industries must hold a licence. | Under the Gangmasters Licensing Act, everyone who supplies workers to the agricultural and food-processing industries must hold a licence. |
| 'Baffling decision' | 'Baffling decision' |
| It was set up in 2005 to protect low-paid workers and oversees treatment of about 500,000 workers. | |
| TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the government should have taken the chance to widen the scope of the act to new sectors. | |
| And the UCATT construction union said it was baffled by the decision not to extend its remit, saying there is endemic abuse of vulnerable workers in the building industry. | |
| A government spokesman said the committee advising ministers could not agree about extending the role of the act. | |
| Meanwhile, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation says that existing regulations ensure that workers in these sectors are protected. | Meanwhile, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation says that existing regulations ensure that workers in these sectors are protected. |
| Tom Hadley, of the trade body, which supports and represents the recruitment industry, said: "These are very different labour markets and just to impose the same system there isn't guaranteed to work. | Tom Hadley, of the trade body, which supports and represents the recruitment industry, said: "These are very different labour markets and just to impose the same system there isn't guaranteed to work. |
| "One of the counter arguments to licensing is that it's actually quite expensive, so I think the focus at the moment has to be on enforcing the regulations already out there by having more inspectors." | "One of the counter arguments to licensing is that it's actually quite expensive, so I think the focus at the moment has to be on enforcing the regulations already out there by having more inspectors." |
| Richard Dunstan, of Citizens Advice, said the single telephone number to report rogue employers would be of "immense benefit". | |
| "A great many of the clients we see with employment issues are vulnerable workers, who are too afraid of losing their job to report abuses," he said. |