A Cambridgeshire gangmaster that underpaid workers and housed them in unsafe buildings has had its licence permanently revoked after a judge rejected an appeal.
Roberto Mac, registered in March, Cambridgeshire, previously supplied workers to pick flowers in Cornwall and harvest crops at Fenland farms. The company had 760 registered workers, with around 400 working at any one time.
The company’s offices and the home address of Roberto Divkovic were raided in October 2013 as part of the multi-agency Operation Endeavour. The GLA then suspended the licence after finding several breaches, including transporting workers in unsafe vehicles, housing them in substandard accommodation and not paying minimum wage.
The GLA said one driver for Roberto Mac minibuses, used to convey workers, was found to be over the legal drink drive limit. while eight out of the 24 buses were also found to have “obvious defects”.
Divkovic appealed the decision at a hearing earlier this year but employment judge Val Adamson dismissed the case this week.
No criminal charges were brought against the company or director, but the licence has been revoked following seven breaches of conditions, including five classed as ‘critical’. “All of those breaches found are serious. In considering the appeal, I have considered not only the position of the appellant but also that of the workers the respondent’s licence conditions are designed to protect,” Adamson said.
“Not only the number of breaches but the serious nature of all of those found means I must dismiss the appeal.”
Workers from the agency had to pay fees for accommodation and transport, which meant salaries were below the National Minimum Wage, while a report also found that a hostel occupied by Roberto Mac employees on a farm in Wisbech had dirty carpets, no hot water for days at a time and was infested with bed bugs and rodents.
“There were four showers and two toilets for 30 people living there to use,” said Adamson. “Only one of the showers had hot water and the heating was switched off. Considering the time of year and the lack of facility for washing with hot water for the numbers of people in the building, I find that accommodation was not safe for the workers which were in it.”
GLA head of licensing Charlotte Woodliffe said: “This revocation arose out of the licence-holder’s complete lack of control of his business.
“Despite repeated warnings, Mr Divkovic failed entirely to grasp the gravity of the situation and took no steps to ensure his workers were paid properly, housed appropriately and transported safely. For this, he has to face the consequences of his actions.
