Prime Minister Commits To Safety At Work

A number of workplace safety concerns will be addressed, prime minister Gordon Brown has told unions.

Speaking at this week's TUC Congress in Brighton, the prime minister said: "No employer should be allowed to impose unsafe or unacceptable conditions," adding "the price of a job should never be a substandard wage or a dangerous workplace."

He said: "We are taking new enforcement powers against people traffickers who buy and sell illegal migrant labour. We remember the tragedy of the cockle-pickers of Morecambe Bay and we have responded to your calls for controls on gangmasters. Let me say we are not only introducing the Gangmaster Licensing Authority, but this winter we will legislate to tighten agency regulation."

On vulnerable workers, the prime minister said "we will raise the amount of compensation paid to workers who are owed arrears, and we will in future target resources to projects aimed at the safety and security of vulnerable workers who are at risk."

Source: TUC Risks

Full text of Gordon Brown's speech

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