Working Group to address labour conditions for seasonal and foreign labour
in the UK Food Industry
TERMS OF REFERENCE
At the initial meeting of the Working Group to address labour conditions
for seasonal and foreign labour in the UK Food Industry on 23 September
2002, the following Terms Of Reference were agreed to guide its future work.
| 1 |
To consider the case for a statutory licensing
and registration scheme that will effectively regulate the labour practices
of providers of temporary labour to farms and packhouses and first tier
food processing facilities in the UK. |
| 2 |
To lobby for new legislation to support such
a scheme. |
| 3 |
To consider the viability of a new cross-industry
voluntary initiative that that will effectively regulate the labour practices
of providers of temporary labour to farms and packhouses and first tier
food processing facilities in the UK. |
| 4 |
To ensure that any scheme proposed by the
group fully considers: |
| 4.1 |
the role and responsibilities of retailers,
growers, packers and manufacturers of food as well as relevant statutory
bodies, |
| 4.2 |
the necessary monitoring and verification
of implementation |
| 4.3 |
the impact upon the supply of agricultural
labour to agricultural and food service industry |
| 4.4 |
existing best practice that can be learned
from the UK and elsewhere |
| 4.5 |
measures to ensure the effective implementation
of any such considerations in 4.1-4.4. |
| 5 |
To consider other measures such as improved
access to information and best practices, that would improve the ability
of government, retailers, growers, packers and other suppliers of food
products to act responsibly in order to mitigate the problems associated
with poor and illegal practices by gangmasters. |
| 6 |
To communicate the Working Group’s progress
and findings to all relevant stakeholder organisations. |
[ENDS]
See also:
For further documents including final Report and Code of Practice developed
by the Group, please see:
ETI Activities:
ETI Experimental Projects:
UK Agriculture ("Gangmasters")