The announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that it is to reduce the role of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has been criticised by the TUC. Under the GLA-scheme the forestry sector, land agents and cleaning contractors operating in the food processing industry are regulated. Agencies in these sectors will no longer have to get a GLA licence before they start operating or be subject to inspections by the GLA. The TUC says the moves will put thousands of vulnerable workers at risk and encourage rogue employment agencies to flout basic rights at work.
English: http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-22501-f0.cfm?
For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the communications officer at the ETUI, Mariya Nikolova mnikolova@etui.org. For previous issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit http://www.etui.org/E-Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net.