Employment law change ‘necessary to help construction workers’

Posted 29/09/2009

Gangmasters regulations must be introduced in the construction industry in order to protect the rights of workers under employment law, according to a union.

The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (Ucatt) has called for the Gangmasters Act to be extended to the sector in order to safeguard workers at risk of exploitation and personal injury.

Addressing the Labour Party conference, Ucatt general secretary Alan Ritchie said that this employment law amendment was necessary in the light of recent incidents which have seen employees being underpaid and mistreated.

This comes after Rita Donaghy’s recent government-commissioned construction safety report also suggested that the extension of the legislation can help to reduce the risk of accidents and deaths occurring in workplaces.

Mr Ritchie said: “The government must act to stamp out these abuses of construction workers once and for all.”

Earlier this month, the union called on the government to reverse laws which prevent pleural plaque victims from making compensation claims for their industrial disease.