Thousands 'abused by gangmasters'

Thousands 'abused by gangmasters'
Person sorting potatoes

The number of foreign workers being exploited by employment agents is far higher than was previously thought, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority says.

The GLA, set up in 2005 to protect low-paid workers, says thousands of immigrants have worked in appalling conditions for below the minimum wage.

The authority says it has revoked 25 employment agents' licences already this year - twice as many as last year.

In response, it is to launch a major increase in enforcement operations.

The GLA currently licenses 1,200 gangmasters, but since its creation has revoked the licenses of 57.

The problem of exploitation by unscrupulous employment agents is particularly acute in the food processing and agricultural industries, says the GLA.

It reports people being forced to work in unsafe conditions, often for wages well below the legal minimum, and workers having their families back at home threatened.

Morecambe tragedy

The GLA was set up in 2005 to curb abuse of workers in agriculture, shellfish gathering and food processing, following the deaths of 23 Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay, Lancashire, a year earlier.

The cocklers' gangmaster, Lin Liang Ren, who is originally from China, was later convicted of the manslaughter of 21 of them after they were caught in high tides while scouring for cockles.

Two other cocklers are thought to have died in the tragedy but their bodies have never been found.

While bad weather and high tides kept most cockle pickers away, Lin Liang Ren ignored the dangers and took a gang of Chinese cocklers, all illegal immigrants, out to work, his trial heard.

The tide rushed in, first stranding them, then washing them away.

------------------------
邦人の援護件数、中南米で21％増　外務省まとめ

　外務省は、在外公館などが昨年海外で援護した日本人にかかわる事件、事故の内容をまとめた「2007年海外邦人援護統計」を発表した。援護総人数は1万 7643人で前年比6.0％減だったが、治安悪化を受け中南米では同6.8％増の923人。件数も734件で同21.4％増となった。

　犯罪被害は6220人（同8.4％減）で、内訳は窃盗の4895人が約80％を占め、そのほかは強盗487人、詐欺440人などだった。邦人被害が全体的に減少傾向にある中、60歳以上の高齢者の占める割合は高水準で推移している。

　一方、犯罪加害は567人（同6.1％減）で出入国・査証関係犯罪が114人、麻薬関係が79人などだった。