Temporary Labour (Gangmaster) Working Group:
ETI Experimental Projects
| Issue: | Labour conditions for seasonal and foreign labour in the UK Food Industry | CHRONOLOGY |
| Industry/sector focus: | UK Food and Agriculture Industry | |
| Country focus: | United Kingdom | project documents |
| Dates: | 2002 - 2006 | |
| Project status: | Former | |
| Project website: | www.lpcode.co.uk | |
Introduction to Project
The UK’s agricultural system is highly seasonal and fluctuations in demand for labour have traditionally been met by a system of temporary labour providers or “gangmasters”. The system is legal but as the supply of domestic labour for such jobs has fallen, unscrupulous employers and criminal gangs have presented themselves as legitimate businesses to meet the demand of growers, pack-houses and food processing facilities. Complex sub-contracting, forgery and the presence of many foreign workers, who speak little English, make detection of the worst offenders difficult.
There is evidence that a rise in the exploitation of temporary and migrant
workers has occurred. Extreme forms of abuse have been reported, including
extreme forms of violence and coercion as well as health and safety malpractice
leading to the death of workers. Workers have been forced to work long hours
for sub-minimum wages and live in poor conditions.
Project aims and objectives
ETI has been co-ordinating a broad alliance of business and trade union organisations to work with government in order to tackle these abuses by lobbying for and helping to establish statutory licensing and registration of labour providers in the agricultural sector.
For specific objectives, please
see:
Terms of
Reference: Working Group
to address labour conditions for seasonal and foreign labour in the
UK Food Industry (Oct, 2002).
Temporary Labour Working Group Activities:
CHRONOLOGY Nov 2004 - Feb 2007
February 2007
Report:
The journey to licensing
- The experience of implementing a voluntary code of practice in the
UK agricultural industry (2004-2006), February 2007.
March 2006
Press release:
Food industry
must act now to prepare for gangmaster licensing, March 2006.
February 2006
Press release:
Food industry
united on second anniversary of Morecambe Bay, February 2006.
December 2005
Press bulletin:
Food industry
alarmed at proposals to water down Gangmaster Act
April 2005
Press release:
ETI
welcomes launch of Gangmasters Licensing Authority, April 2005.
February 2005
Update:
Progress on Implementing
the Code of Practice, Feb 2005.
November 2004
The Temporary Labour Working Group published a detailed summary of its activities and achievements and launched its own website.
Press release:
Industry unites to
fight exploitation of workers in UK food and agriculture, Nov 2004.
Summary of activities:
Summary of Temporary
Labour Working Group Activities in past two years,
Nov 2004.
Website:
www.lpcode.co.uk.
Report & Code of Practice:
"A
licence to operate: New measures to tackle exploitation of temporary workers
in the UK agricultural industry" and
Code of practice for labour providers to agriculture and the fresh produce
trade.
Temporary Labour Working Group Website:
To find out more about the Code and how it affects you, visit the TLWG website at:
www.lpcode.co.uk.
Main project documents:
Report, Feb 2007:
The journey to
licensing - The experience of implementing a voluntary code of practice
in the UK agricultural industry (2004-2006), February 2007.
(Note: For Press Releases and project updates Nov 2004 - Feb 2007, see chronology above.)
Final Report etc, Nov 2004:
- Summary of Temporary Labour Working Group Activities in past two years.
- Press Release: Industry unites to fight exploitation of workers in UK food and agriculture.
- Report: "A licence to operate: New measures to tackle exploitation of temporary workers in the UK agricultural industry" and Code of practice for labour providers to agriculture and the fresh produce trade
Worker leaflet - English, Italian, Portuguese [all small PDFs].
Gangmaster (Licencing) Bill: full text & explanatory notes [small PDFs].
Draft
Code of Practice (Nov 2003) [PDF, 304kb].
Terms of Reference (Sept/Oct 2002).
Other relevant links
Reports on the ETI impact assessment, 2006: Part 2e: Findings and recommendations from a case study in the UK (horticulture)
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