Unions have come together in support of a proposal to extend the Gangmasters Licensing Act to the construction sector.
 
Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite said: "The absence of effective regulatory controls of labour agencies operating in construction provides significant scope to mistreat workers, a growing number of whom are vulnerable migrant workers, without fear of sanction.
 
"Wages are falling, training is being neglected and health and safety law is sidestepped as rogue labour providers drive down costs and good employers out of business. Deaths on construction sites have risen dramatically with 78 construction industry deaths last year, a 25% increase on the previous year. We also remain concerned that there is significant under-reporting of deaths and injuries among bogus self-employed and migrant workers who do not feature in the official statistics."
 
Woodley added that the purpose of the Gangmasters Licensing Act was to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation by labour providers within the food sector, a measure that drew support from all parties and across society.
 
He said: "With an estimated 75% of labour providers (or gangmasters) now operating in sectors other than food the case for that law to be extended to protect workers displaced into other sectors, in particular to major employers such as construction, is a strong one."