A comment by Dan Rees, ETI Director

Oxfam is calling on the government to extend the powers of the Gangmaster Licensing Authority beyond agriculture to cover agency workers in the construction, hospitality and care industries.

The case for doing so is obvious. The exploitation of temporary, mainly migrant, workers isn't limited to one industry. Agency workers themselves don't make any distinction between the food industry and any other; they just go where the work is. And the bad employers and criminals that were operating in the food and agricultural industry will undoubtedly have scurried off into other sectors to avoid the legislative spotlight.

The GLA has shown its value to the industry and to workers. It's high time the government let it get on with the job of tackling exploitation of agency workers wherever they happen to be - up in Lincolnshire picking leeks for the supermarkets or cleaning rooms in Knightsbridge.

In fact, few are contesting this, and the recent inquiry commissioned by the government into deaths in the construction industry (One Death is Too Many) calls for an extension of the gangmasters' legislation to cover construction.

So given we're all pretty much agreed, let's focus on how to make the extension of the legislation successful.

ETI played a lead role in establishing the GLA and preparing the food industry for the new regulations. Critical to success was the involvement of the supermarkets, growers, packers, trade unions and labour providers themselves in shaping the Gangmaster Licensing Act, and later, their active role in supervising the GLA's process. This means that the licensing regime works for business as well as for the workers it was introduced to protect.

Getting the gangmaster regulations to work in other industries demands that their leaders also step up to the plate and play their part in tackling exploitation of migrant workers in the UK.

The choice for the hotel, construction and care industries seems clear: Bury your heads in the sand and remain open to criticism and continuing campaigns, or follow the example of the food industry and help re-shape this successful legislation so it works for your sector.

The result will be a more ethical and level playing field where the good employers are not undercut by the bad. Both you, and the workers you indirectly employ, will benefit.