Hutton told the TUC Congress in Brighton the measures would include:
* higher maximum fines for employers who do not pay the National Minimum Wage and twice as much spent enforcing payment.
* double the number of inspectors who crack down on abuses in employment agencies, plus tougher powers to get evidence and unlimited penalties for those they catch.
He called for a new partnership between Government and the Unions- " to help shine a light into the dark corners of the labour market and rid Britain of practices that have no place in a modern economy" - including a new £3 million fund targeted at equipping unions to help vulnerable workers
He set out the importance of Agency workers in a flexible labour market but also how important temporary jobs can be in helping the long-term unemployed back to work and pledged a renewed push to reach a fair and lasting EU-wide solution on agency worker rights.
But he said that this and all other policy will only gain his support if it passes two tests:
"Firstly does it protect jobs and advance the fundamental right to work? Will it continue to allow companies to go on creating jobs and promote rising national prosperity?
"And secondly, will it make a positive change to the most vulnerable working people?
"Where we meet those tests, we will take action."
1. A consultation on National Minimum Wage enforcement and on tougher powers for agency workers closed in August. http://www.dti.gov.uk/consultations/page39461.html
2. The money for projects for unions to help vulnerable workers will be allocated under the next stage of the Union Modernisation Fund allocation. http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/trade-union-rights/modernisation/page16097.html
3. There are currently 12 Employment Agency Standards Inspectors.
Source: Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform
