A GANGMASTER has had its licence to supply workers to the agricultural industry revoked by the Government.Goose Recruit Ltd, based in Leiston, has been told to stop trading in the agricultural industry or face prosecution after the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) withdrew its licence.

A GANGMASTER has had its licence to supply workers to the agricultural industry revoked by the Government.

Goose Recruit Ltd, based in Leiston, has been told to stop trading in the agricultural industry or face prosecution after the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) withdrew its licence.

The company specialises in providing staff to a variety of industries in and outside of East Anglia such as haulage, construction, security, industrial and environmental.

But officers from the GLA found accommodation charges to agricultural workers were unacceptably high, with attempts made to hide the charges by deducting part of the money directly from workers' bank accounts after they had been paid so the figures did not show up on wage slips.

There was also no legal system in place to provide holiday pay, staff worked excessive hours and had not taken sufficient breaks between shifts, no records of timesheets were held by the company and no arrangements were in place to identify responsibility for health and safety training.

The company is the second in the town to have its licence revoked this year.

Vilnius Recruitment Ltd, also based in Leiston, had its licence taken away by the GLA in January.