A further nine labour providers have fallen foul of the standards imposed by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority after a week-long investigation - Operation Westport - in Cornwall.

The five-day operation was concluded on February 1, and involved visits to four farms growing crops of daffodils, cauliflower and spring greens. Between them, the nine licensed gangmasters were supplying hundreds of Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian and Bulgarian workers in the fields. Operation Westport was led by West Cornwall Migrant Worker Action Group (MIGWAG) and uncovered:

• one gangmaster sub-contracting workers from a number of unlicensed providers;

• workers employed by one labour provider had not been paid for three weeks;

• a weekly £10 “administration fee” charged to workers reduced pay below national minimum wage levels;

• agricultural minimum wage was not paid on occasions;

• a daily £12 transport charge per worker was deducted for a three-mile journey;

• excessive accommodation charges;

• personal protective equipment had to be purchased by some workers;

• faulty minibuses used to transport workers, including a faulty tyre, a faulty handbrake and a dangerously loose battery;

• drivers of minibuses did not have the correct licences to transport others.

GLA chairman Paul Whitehouse said that a number of the gangmasters involved in the sting can expect their licences to be revoked. “The GLA is intent on cracking down on illegal working practice to protect workers from exploitation,” said Whitehouse. “Following this recent phase of our ongoing enforcement operations, licences will be revoked, but the question is how many. We will know more as soon as we have finalised our investigation work.”

Other results of the operation included three worker accommodation units closed as unfit and/or unsafe; more than 40 vehicles stopped and inspected; and red diesel being misused. Eight vehicles received immediate prohibitions and one was impounded.

In all, 11 agencies including the GLA were involved in the sting, planning for which began in November. Investigation into the labour providers has now spread beyond Cornwall to their offices in other counties.

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