Employees’ rights

SIR – With Carillion’s demise has come much discussion about the mess the building industry is in.

Juliet Samuel (Business, January 23) cites three main reasons for this: the role of government contracting and regulation, the lack of modernisation in construction methods and the flow of cheap labour. I am particularly concerned with the human side – the workforce.

Employment methods in the construction industry are, on the whole, entirely questionable. I am hoping that the Workers (Definition and Rights) Bill currently passing through Parliament will halt the practice of exploiting subcontracted workers who are currently classed as self-employed and have no workers’ rights. In other words, the employers have no liability for their employees. This new bill sets out a clear definition as to whether a worker is an employee or not. Freda Schaffer

Highcliffe, Dorset