レポート
Protecting the wages of migrant construction workers: What can be learned from systems of wage protection in China, EU, US and Latin America?
[Main findings and measures for GGC states to introduce:]
- A system of chain liability… can provide a strong deterrent effect to late, partial or non-payment of wages to construction workers.
- A nuanced system of secondary joint liability… can create incentives for contractors and project owners to employ appropriate due diligence checks…
- Extending liability for wages to the users of the labour (which may be main contractor or subcontractors) would seem to be a priority.
- Licensing and registering of labour suppliers as employment agencies, and extending the penalties for wage violations that the agencies are liable for to the user company may be an alternative.
- Legally enforceable obligation[s] on main contractors to:
- check that all workers on a site which they control are enrolled in the WPS;
- introduce a clocking system on major sites to provide an accurate record of workers’ hours and overtime;
- ensure that contracts with subcontractors contain sufficient funds for wages to be paid by the subcontractor at the minimum rate.
- Extending liability and/or obligations… [with] strong sanctions against those who fail to comply. Directing penalties against the top of the chain… can send a strong signal to others. Debarment from government contracts is the strongest signal that can be used against main contractors.