Labour threatens hefty fines for ads aimed at undercutting Brits’ wages
LABOUR would get tough with firms undercutting British staff by only advertising jobs abroad.
As part of a 20-point plan to boost the economy it would fine companies thousands of pounds for the practice.
The ads, along with the use of some job agencies, are seen by Labour as a divisive way of recruiting foreigners on less than their British colleagues.
Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said Brits should also have the chance to fill job vacancies. She said: “It’s not just immigrant workers who are exploited – it’s working Brits as well. This isn’t a new thing.”
Labour believes large fines for firms flouting the job advert ruling would both punish and deter the culprits, especially if the penalties carried on until the practice was stopped.
Ms Long-Bailey said: “Whatever the nationality of the person who is being paid less money it is exploitation. It’s exploitation of the people on that wage and of the rest of the workforce.”
She claimed research showed companies are taking advantage of EU
rules over foreign agency staff and some are paid three or four times less than the average worker.
“If they work in the UK on a short-term contract they’re only allowed to be paid the minimum wage. Some people have set up sham agencies, recruited large numbers of foreign workers and brought them into the UK. They’ve then paid them far less than people who were living here.
“That’s caused massive social problems. We’ll end undercutting because it’s not fair to anyone.”
The Labour job advert proposal is seen as part of a bigger move to create a more stable and secure environment for workers and businesses which, according to a TUC study, encourages high skills in staff, investment in technology and increased productivity.
Ms Long- Bailey said where there is a low-paid workforce and wages being undercut there is a race to the bottom.
And although productivity is a huge issue for the economy the Government had done nothing to tackle it. She said Labour had always been good for business and would do more to help employees and employers than the Tories.
And she said Labour is more in touch with voters than the Tories.