Recruitment agencies lose GLA licence after migrant worker exploitation probe
9 January 2014
The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has revoked the licences of agricultural recruiters Slender Contracting and MAS Recruitment after an investigation into the exploitation of migrant workers in Cambridgeshire.
Thu, 9 Jan 2014The Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) has revoked the licences of agricultural recruiters Slender Contracting and MAS Recruitment after an investigation into the exploitation of migrant workers in Cambridgeshire.
A statement from the GLA said: “The investigation discovered that Slender Contracting had breached a number of GLA licensing standards by falsifying payslips to underpay employees, failing to provide workers with appropriate protective equipment, and failing to agree terms and conditions of work.”
In revoking the company’s licence, it was also decided that the person named as being responsible for the day-to-day running of the business, Martyn Slender, had failed a critical ‘fit and proper person’ test.
The licence of MAS Recruitment was revoked against a breach of the GLA’s ‘fit and proper’ standard against Mark Slender, the named licence-holder. Mark Slender is brother of Martyn Slender.
Both gangmasters had their licences suspended in October after police raids, which were carried out as part of Operation Endeavour. The agencies were based in March, Cambridgeshire.
Slender Contracting has ceased trading since the suspension was imposed.
A statement from the GLA said: “The investigation discovered that Slender Contracting had breached a number of GLA licensing standards by falsifying payslips to underpay employees, failing to provide workers with appropriate protective equipment, and failing to agree terms and conditions of work.”
In revoking the company’s licence, it was also decided that the person named as being responsible for the day-to-day running of the business, Martyn Slender, had failed a critical ‘fit and proper person’ test.
The licence of MAS Recruitment was revoked against a breach of the GLA’s ‘fit and proper’ standard against Mark Slender, the named licence-holder. Mark Slender is brother of Martyn Slender.
Both gangmasters had their licences suspended in October after police raids, which were carried out as part of Operation Endeavour. The agencies were based in March, Cambridgeshire.
Slender Contracting has ceased trading since the suspension was imposed.
