Illegal labourer conditions uncovered at food packing firm
inadequate safety standards and worker exploitation by three
gangmasters operating in Worcestershire, highlighting the
importance of food processors to remain vigilant and aware of their
employees situations.
A gangmaster is an individual or business that supplies labour to areas such as agriculture, horticulture food processing and packaging. Following a tip-off, the GLA conducted an unannounced raid on the premises of vegetable packing firm Simms and Wood, of Wyre Piddle near Evesham. The investigators not only found poor working conditions, which put migrant workers' lives at risk, but also inadequate food safety standards. They found:
A minibus with no tax, no insurance and only a single usable door being used to transport 14 workers between their homes and the warehouse
Employees working between 60 and 70 hours a week with only 39 hours shown on payslips
No accurate record of the number of workers or identity of workers employed to work at the warehouse.
A serious hygiene issues involving food destined for major UK supermarket
The GLA said the blame over employment issues did not lie with the packaging firm, but with the gangmasters. However, it could not yet ascertain blame over the hygiene issue, where a worker had cut his finger and was told by supervisor to simply cover the bleeding wound with cling film and return to work. The authority said companies using gangmasters should keep an eye for illegal activities to help protect their workers. Tim Carter GLA spokesperson said: "Vigilance is definitely important. Employers who use gangmasters can help by checking pay slips and talking to their workers." "The biggest problem is with sub-contracting, when gangmasters employ other gangmasters. This has the highest risk where the end user does not know who is employed by whom." GLA's Operation Scorpion is one of a major ongoing series of unannounced operations carried out throughout the UK to make sure labour providers are operating within the law. The authority is now making a decision on whether to evoke the licences of the three gangmasters involved. Gangmasters must comply with a set to standards to hold a licence, and operating a labour group without one can result in a 10-year spell in prison. The GLA was set up to curb the exploitation of workers following the death of 23 Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay in 2005. There are currently 1140 gangmasters licensed by the GLA. "There are many reputable businesses in this sector, but unfortunately there are some who exploit these vulnerable workers," chairman Paul Whitehouse said. "Those gangmasters who do not follow the rules risk being trapped by one of our operations. We will route out these rogues. There is no excuse for exploiting vulnerable workers and we will take the firmest action possible in all cases."
