CRITERIA

Employment is Freely Chosen

Freedom of Association & Collective Bargaining

Safe & Hygienic Working Environment

Child Labour

Living Wages To Be Paid

Working Hours Are Not Excessive

No Discrimination

Regular Employment

No Harsh Or Inhumane Treatment

Use of Agency Labour

Continual Improvement

General

Code

Law

Assess

Action Plan

Use of Agency Labour

Temporary labour provides flexibility to meet seasonal demands of planting, harvesting and packing crops. These fluctuations in demand for labour are serviced by a system of gangmasters known as Labour Providers. The limited scrutiny of gangmasters has allowed unscrupulous employers, and sometimes criminal gangs, to exploit tax and benefit systems as well as their workers.

This presents the problem for you of distinguishing between bad and legitimate gangmasters, or Agency Labour Providers (LPs). Exploitation of workers increases as a system of subcontracting develops with the use of forged documentation and an increasing number of foreign workers.

Workers become more vulnerable because they have little awareness or power to exercise their rights. Those who are in the country illegally are more vulnerable as they are unable to go to the authorities for protection.

Worker abuse is significant and includes extreme forms of coercion and violence, poor Health and Safety conditions, long working hours for sub-minimal wages and poor living conditions.

No business wanting to operate on the right side of the law wants to be associated with such work practices.