Modern slavery gangmasters exploit care worker shortage – BBC News

‘The number of modern slavery cases reported within the UK care industry has more than doubled in the past year.’

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BBC News, 25th July 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Experts Call on UK Government to End Worker Exploitation in the Care Industry – EIN Blog

‘The global economic crisis has pushed many vulnerable people around the world into seeking employment opportunities abroad. Unfortunately, many of these individuals are subjected to modern slavery practices. The UK is no exception as reports of exploitation of migrant care workers by employers and recruiters have emerged in recent years. According to a report from the Centre for Social Justice, an estimated 13,000 people have been subjected to modern slavery in the UK.’

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EIN Blog, 13th March 2023

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Watchdog disputes Braverman’s claim modern slavery laws being ‘gamed’ – The Guardian

‘The head of Britain’s labour abuse watchdog says her organisation has not seen anyone “gaming” the modern slavery system for immigration purposes. The comments directly contradict the home secretary, Suella Braverman, who said last week that trafficking claims from “people gaming the system” were “derailing the UK’s policy on illegal migration”.’

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The Guardian, 9th October 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Caseload almost doubles at UK antislavery body as remit widens – The Guardian

Posted September 25th, 2017 in forced labour, gangmasters, licensing, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘The UK’s antislavery body has launched 185 investigations since May, nearly double its total for the whole of last year, after assuming powers that allow it to look beyond the food and farming sector.’

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The Guardian, 24th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Modern slavery: the next social care scandal? – The Guardian

‘Foreign nationals working in social care could be victims of exploitation, trafficking and forced labour. Staff are being urged to speak out.’

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The Guardian, 26th June 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Government names new chief to lead crackdown on worker exploitation – The Guardian

Posted January 5th, 2017 in employment, gangmasters, immigration, minimum wage, news by tracey

‘The government has moved to crack down on unscrupulous employers by appointing a new boss to lead the collection of government bodies tasked with stamping out exploitation in the workplace. Prof Sir David Metcalf, a founding member of the Low Pay Commission and former chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee, was named on Thursday as the first director of Labour Market Enforcement.’

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The Guardian, 5th January 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Gangmasters agree to pay more than £1m to settle modern slavery claim – The Guardian

‘A Kent-based gangmaster couple have agreed to a landmark settlement worth more than £1m in compensation and legal costs for a group of migrants who were trafficked to work on farms producing eggs for high street brands.’

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The Guardian, 20th December 2016

Source; www.guardian.co.uk

Gangmasters agree payout worth more than £1m to settle modern slavery claim – The Guardian

Posted December 20th, 2016 in compensation, costs, gangmasters, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘A Kent-based gangmaster couple have agreed to a landmark settlement worth more than £1m in compensation and legal costs for a group of migrants who were trafficked to work on farms producing eggs for high street brands.’

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The Guardian, 20th December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Men sentenced over illegal supply of migrant workers in East Anglia – The Guardian

‘Two brothers who acted as illegal gangmasters in Wisbech have been given two-year prison sentences suspended for two years at Cambridge crown court.’

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The Guardian, 13th September 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court finds UK gangmaster liable for modern slavery victims – The Guardian

‘A British company has been found liable for the first time for victims of modern slavery in a landmark high court judgment.’

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The Guardian, 10th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Four guilty of hijacking migrant workers’ bank accounts – The Guardian

‘Three men and a woman convicted of laundering criminally acquired money in Cambridgeshire after trial over offences relating to exploitation of workers.’

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The Guardian, 22nd March 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Maidstone gangmaster firm sued by ‘slave’ workers – BBC News

Posted August 12th, 2015 in compensation, delay, gangmasters, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘Six men are suing a former gangmaster after they were trafficked to work as chicken-catchers on UK farms.’

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BBC News, 11th August 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Latvians guilty of illegal gangmaster role in case exposing debt-bondage – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2014 in debts, gangmasters, intimidation, news by sally

‘Two Latvian men have been found guilty of acting as illegal gangmasters, supplying Latvian and Lithuanian workers from the Wisbech area to pick leeks, cabbages, broccoli and flowers, for supermarket supply chains across East Anglia.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Exploitative gangmaster fined only £500 – The Independent

Posted October 9th, 2014 in appeals, fines, gangmasters, news, Northern Ireland, sentencing by sally

‘An illegal gangmaster who made Romanian workers scavenge in bins while charging them to live in an unheated shed has been fined just £500.’

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The Independent, 8th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

It pays to use slave labour, says watchdog – The Independent

“Sentences for criminal bosses who use forced labour are ‘unduly lenient’ and do not deter modern slavery, the head of Britain’s worker exploitation watchdog believes.”

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The Independent, 23rd June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gangmasters caught running illegal labour teams escape prosecution – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 6th, 2012 in gangmasters, human rights, licensing, news, quangos by sally

“Hundreds of gangmasters caught running illegal migrant labour squads are avoiding prosecution, it can be revealed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gangmaster licensing plan prompts exploitation fears – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2012 in gangmasters, licensing, news by sally

“Fruit pickers, shellfish gatherers and farm labourers could be at greater risk of exploitation under plans to reduce regulation of gangmasters, unions say.”

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BBC News, 25th May 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coalition to scrap sex trafficking safeguards – The Independent

Posted February 7th, 2011 in gangmasters, news, trafficking in human beings by sally

“Government to close special police units and rebuff EU moves to protect victims and target criminal gangs.”

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The Independent, 6th February 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gangmaster laws to be extended to cut deaths in construction industry – The Guardian

“Directors will be legally forced to ensure good health and safety management and gangmaster licensing will be extended to the construction industry as the centrepiece of a hard-hitting government inquiry into the high number of fatalities on Britain’s building sites published today.”

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The Guardian, 8th July 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Daffodil harvester stripped of gangmaster licence and accused of using forced labour – The Guardian

Posted May 8th, 2008 in gangmasters, news by sally

“A UK-wide investigation into allegations of forced labour among migrant daffodil pickers has resulted in one of the industry’s largest labour suppliers losing its licence.”

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The Guardian, 8th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk