The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has revoked the licence of Cornish gangmaster Baltic Work Team Ltd with immediate effect, after it was discovered that their illegally employed workforce had not been paid in over a month.
40 Bulgarian workers were left to scavenge for food in the potato and courgette fields they were working in after they were not paid for 35 days, according to the GLA. One worker lodged a complaint with the Bulgarian embassy, which then contacted the authority.
Baltic Work Team had already had its licence revoked after a separate conviction, but following an appeal had been allowed to continue trading until August 24. A second investigation found a significant threat to the welfare of the workers, leading to the immediate revocation of its licence.
The GLA’s chairman Paul Whitehouse said: “Revoking a licence with immediate effect is a serious decision and is only taken when we find non-compliance. The GLA was set up to curb the exploitation of workers and in the case of Baltic Work Team, we had to take action immediately to protect the workers.
“I find it incredulous that a business who had been given the chance at the appeal hearing to put their house in order and re-apply for a new licence would not take this opportunity.”
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