UCATT general secretary George Brumwell has called for members to report to the union any groups of migrant workers that may be being exploited by gangmasters.
He said there is a new breed of "bad" gangmasters who exploit migrant workers. In a recent case, according to Brumwell, UCATT members suspected Indian workers were being ill-treated; upon investigation it was found that they were being paid 30p an hour.

Brumwell said that some employment agencies were as bad as the gangmasters. He said they advertise cheap labour in the trade press: "These workers are paid as little as half the wage of a British worker, often cash in hand, which sets indigenous workers and honest companies at a severe disadvantage."

The UCATT general secretary said that once in the UK, migrants have their papers held by the gangmasters and they become trapped. He said: "It is modern-day slavery."