Many gangmasters may be breaking the law by supplying workers to farms and the food industry without a licence, according to ICM research conducted on behalf of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA).
The research surveyed employment agencies in Northern Ireland and found that only 63 per cent of agencies supplying workers to the food processing and packing sector and 64 per cent who supply workers to the farming and horticulture sector hold a GLA licence.
The survey found that the smaller agencies were more likely to be unlicensed and only 40 per cent of agencies hold a GLA licence, although 60 per cent of agencies surveyed supply workers to the GLA regulated sectors and would need a licence.
Even more worryingly, 20 per cent of those that supply to the regulated sector had not heard of the GLA and 14 per cent of agencies did not know that a licence was required to supply workers into certain sectors.
Only one in eight could correctly identify when a licence was required and 32 per cent of respondents wrongly believed that a licence was required for massage parlours, casinos and certain nightclubs.
The stakes are high with penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment for operating without a licence, but the farmers, growers, food processing and packing companies could also face prosecution as using an unlicensed agency is also an offence with penalties of up to six months in prison.
The GLA says that anybody who supplies workers to agriculture, horticulture, forestry, shellfish gathering, food processing and packaging to Northern Ireland businesses needs a licence. This includes overseas agents, high street agencies and the traditional gangmaster, who picks up workers in a minibus from street corners.
The GLA, which was set up to safeguard the welfare of workers across the UK, has already made their mark by revoking the licences of 76 businesses found to be exploiting workers in England, Scotland and Wales.
Since Operation Ajax was launched in Northern Ireland, the GLA has conducted 18 inspections with six formal warnings issued. A number of operations aimed to catch unlicensed operators and those who use them will take place over the coming months.
With Operation Ajax under way in Northern Ireland those operating without a licence in the regulated sectors must come forward now, rather than risk being trapped by one of our many operations and face prosecution.
Paul Whitehouse, chairman of the GLA, said: “Ignorance of the law is no defence, anybody operating without a licence must come forward immediately or face the consequences.
“It is unacceptable that the food you eat could have been picked packed or processed by an exploited worker. Anybody with information about exploitation or anybody supplying workers to agriculture or the food industry without a licence should contact us on 0845 602 5020 or anonymously at www.gla.gov.uk/report.”
