[size=75:b5kd81wm]novinite 22 January 2010

British Farmer Fined over Jobs for Illegal Bulgarian Migrants

A fruit farming company has admitted using an unlicensed gangmaster to provide Bulgarian workers for a Perthshire farm, BBC reported.

David Leslie Fruits Ltd is the first company in Scotland to be prosecuted under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act, designed to protect workers' rights.

Perth Sheriff Court heard 250 workers were provided for the farm at Scones Lethendy between July and August 2008.

The company, which specialises in growing strawberries, was fined GBP 500.

Procurator Fiscal Helen Nisbet said it was important for all farmers using gangmaster labour to ensure they were complying with the regulations, or they would be liable to prosecution.

She added: "
Failure to ensure gangmasters are licensed carries the risk that workers are deprived of the rights to which they would otherwise be entitled.

"
As this case has shown, the law imposes strict obligations on employers, which must be properly addressed"
.

The gangmaster act regulates the activities of those involved in the supply of workers to the agricultural and food-processing business.

The law, which came into force in 2006, was designed to prevent a repeat of the Morecambe Bay cockling tragedy.

At least 21 Chinese cocklers, all illegal immigrants, were swept away by rising tides in the Lancashire bay in February 2004.

500 pounds what a joke,they are exploiting cheap labour,they should have paid every worker 500 pounds fo every week that they have worked for them,maybe then they would not be so keen to flout the law,and exploit these hard working people



Mike