DTI tackles bogus self-employment

Exclusive by Ross Pearman

Bogus self-employment is back on the agenda this month as two consultation documents on the issue have been posted out to industry bodies and trade unions.

The first document has been sent out by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI). It asks unions to highlight the main pitfalls of using temporary workers and the bogus self-employed, and how these affect the rights of workers on site.

The document has to be back at the DTI by the end of August.

Unions hope that feedback from the document will highlight the dangers to the government of having unskilled workers, many migrant and non-English speaking, on site.

TGWU national secretary Bob Blackman said: "This is a good opportunity to paint the picture of how this problem is blighting our industry. The problems have been generated since labour agencies have had a free playing field after the employment legislation was scrapped in 1987. Back in 1978 there was tough legislation to prevent agencies providing potentially bogus workers."

The other document is from the European Federation of Building and Wood Workers (EFBWW), which wants to know what impact bogus self-employment and migrant workers are having on businesses.

The document takes the format of a questionnaire. One industry association source described it as "very direct".

"Some of the questions are very in your face," he said. "It asks how many migrant workers you have on your sites, the qualifications they have, how long they are here and what problems you have had."

It is thought the results of the document, which is due back this week, might be used by the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) to lobby the European Parliament.