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19th July 2007

NEWS IN BRIEF

VULNERABLE WORKERS

Unions, businesses and other bodies met for the first time at the end of June to crack down on abuses of workplace rights. The role of the Government’s Vulnerable Worker Enforcement Forum is to consider whether abuses by rogue employers are being tackled effectively.

The new body will look at whether current enforcement and support mechanisms are adequate for the job, or whether improvements to existing mechanisms, or indeed totally new approaches, should be introduced to improve compliance. The Government says it wants to do this without increasing burdens on employers who already comply.

Evidence gathered by enforcement bodies suggests that hotels and restaurants are the highest risk sectors, followed by healthcare, retail and construction.

Members of the new body include:

• The TUC and front line unions with significant membership in sectors where enforcement agencies report higher levels of complaints, such as the T&G, GMB and UCATT
• Business representative groups, including the CBI, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and small businesses
• Enforcement bodies, including HM Revenue and Customs which enforces the National Minimum Wage, the Health and Safety Executive, the Gangmaster Licensing Authority, and the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate

The new body has a dedicated email address to collect evidence:
Vulnerable.workers@dti.gsi.gov.uk

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