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The TUC has produced a report which shows that the UK's most vulnerable workers are subject to "repeat offender behaviour" from some employers and agencies.
Research by the Centre for Employment Studies Research has revealed that four in five employment advisers, at the CAB and Law Centres Federation, who report on mistreatment across low-paid and female-dominated sectors of the economy, said they received reports of unfair dismissal on a weekly basis.
Two-thirds also receive problems with pay on a weekly basis while six out of 10 deal with working time and contractual rights in the same time frame. Brendan Barber, TUC general-secretary, said "We were shocked at the extent of abuses of employment rights," Barber said. "It is unacceptable that these practices exist today, and equally unfair that when they do, services to help vulnerable workers are left over-stretched and under-funded. Sustainable funding is also needed for independent employment rights advice, so that when workers experience problems they can access support, and government, trade unions and employers need to work together to make sure this happens," he said.
The most common areas to experience problems were private care homes, hotels and restaurants, cleaning companies and wholesale and retail. More than half the advisers said they came across "repeat offenders". Additionally, 62% of CAB advisers and 81% of LCF advisers said temporary workers were seen frequently.
The TUC has called on the government to increase the reach of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) and grant greater powers to enforcement agencies such as the Health and Safety Executive and HM Revenue & Customs' minimum wage enforcement unit.
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