Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)
A gangmaster (or occasionally 'ganger') is a person that oversees and organises the work of casual manual labourers, often on an informal basis. Since the early-19th century, gangmasters have operated in the agriculture and horticulture industries, using casual workers to meet irregular and unpredictable labour demands.
However, workers, who are often immigrants, can be vulnerable to exploitation in the form of low rates of pay, reduced access to employment benefits, poor access to personal protective equipment and so on, which can put them at risk on a construction site.
On 12th January 2016, the Government released its response to a consultation ‘Tackling exploitation in the labour market’, conducted by the Home Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. As a result, the non-departmental public body, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) was reformed and renamed the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). The government also announced an intention to enforce the GLAA will stronger powers and to widen its remit to include the construction industry.
According to the consultation findings, the GLAA:
‘...will be given police-style enforcement powers in England and Wales to help it tackle all forms of exploitation in all sectors. It will retain the existing licensing regime, but this will be reformed to be more flexible and capable of responding to changing risk....’
The GLAA works by inspecting all new applicants, as well as licensed businesses on a random basis or following a risk assessment, and investigating those operating without a license or where allegations of exploitation have been raised.
GLAA officers can inspect premises, interview workers and ask to review evidence such as current contracts, wage books and the terms and conditions applicable to workers.
The inspection report is reviewed and, together with information from government departments and agencies, a decision is made as to whether licensing standards have been met or whether further inspections are required. The inspection is points-based, and less than 30 points is an indication of a fail.
Although the move into construction had been advocated by organisations such as the Labour Party and the trade union UCATT, concerns were raised that the licensing regime was not extended into construction. According to UCATT, regulations governing construction site safety have been lost, putting at risk those already in precarious employment, and adopting a more flexible licensing approach was ‘unlikely to create a crackdown on the unfair treatment of workers that the construction industry is crying out for’.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Construction and the Modern Slavery Act.
- Construction Workers Compensation Scheme.
- Ethics in construction.
- Gangmaster.
- Large Industrial Sites report.
- Modern Slavery Act and sustainable supply chains.
- Modern slavery and the supply chain.
- Modern slavery in the construction sector.
- PAYE.
- Payroll companies.
- Umbrella companies.
Featured articles and news
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.