CWA SUPPORTS NEW FAIR WORK AGENCY TO COMBAT MODERN SLAVERY IN NON-COMPLIANT HAND CAR WASHES
17/10/2024
The Car Wash Association (CWA) strongly supports for the government’s proposal to establish a Fair Work Agency aimed at enforcing workers' rights and addressing illegal employment practices. This new agency, as part of the Employment Rights Bill, will consolidate various enforcement bodies under one umbrella, empowering them to take decisive action in high-risk sectors like non-compliant hand car washes.
Read More
CAR WASH ASSOCIATION APPLAUDS GOVERNMENT’S ACTION ON ILLEGAL WORKERS
22/07/2024
“In a modern society, there is no place for modern slavery. We welcome the Government's initiative to target businesses employing illegal workers in car washes. However, it is disappointing that it has taken so long to address this well-documented issue.” said Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association (CWA).
Read More
HAND CAR WASHES A HOTBED FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, SAYS CWA
13/06/2024
"Non-compliant hand car washes, that vastly outnumber legally operated sites, are blatantly disregarding employment laws, with minimal enforcement from the relevant authorities. When employment laws are ignored, people suffer. These hand car washes, many of which only accept payment in cash, are often a hotbed of modern slavery and other illegal activities, such as money laundering and tax evasion. The continued lack of action on this issue empowers these criminals and endangers lives." said Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association (CWA) in response to recent Home Office figures showing that hand car washes racked up almost £2.5m in civil penalties last year.
Read More
CWA COMMENTS ON THAMES WATER’S ONGOING CHALLENGES
22/04/2024
"As the Thames Water saga drags on, the company is ignoring its responsibility to keep our environment clean,” said Gordon Balmer Executive Director of the Car Wash Association, commenting on the latest Thames Water’s latest issues.
Read More
CAR WASH ASSOCIATION COMMENTS ON RIGHT TO WORK OFFENCES
26/02/2024
Data from the Illegal Immigration Unit at the Home Office showed that 78 hand car washes across the UK had been fined a total of nearly £1.5 million for ‘right to work’ offences in the first nine months of 2023.
Brian Madderson, Chairman of the Car Wash Association (CWA), said:
“It is disappointing that even in the face of blatant violations of the law, the Government is still unwilling to crack down on illegal hand car wash operators."
Read More
LATEST SAFE CAR WASH APP REPORT RAISES CONCERN FOR CWA
02/08/2023
Commenting on the newly released data from The Clewer Initiative's Safe Car Wash App, Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association (CWA) said:
“I am deeply concerned to see the report highlighting the widespread exploitation taking place in hand car wash businesses, especially as a third of all reports submitted through the app raised significant concerns regarding modern slavery and exploitation. The shocking 127% increase in the number of high-scoring reports referred to the Modern Slavery Helpline (MSH) compared to the previous 6 months is alarming.
Read More
CWA COMMENTS ON BBC MODERN SLAVERY INVESTIGATION
27/07/2023
"It is very positive to see the BBC taking on the crucial task of exposing modern slavery and creating awareness about this pressing issue. We are pleased that the material we provided contributed to their in-depth research. We remain available to provide guidance and insights on this urgent matter that we have been tirelessly working to bring to public attention,” said Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association (CWA)
Read More
CWA WELCOMES GOVERNMENT’S NEW ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION
13/07/2023
The Car Wash Association (CWA) welcomes the Government’s recent announcement of new legislation to tackle environment offences under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
Read More
CAR WASH ASSOCIATION COMMENTS ON THAMES WATER’S FINANCIAL ISSUES
29/06/2023
Commenting on the unfolding situation at Thames Water, Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association (CWA), said:
“It is concerning to see that one of the UK’s largest water companies is experiencing financial difficulties on this scale. This, in conjunction with hosepipe bans being announced by other water companies, is a stark reminder of the importance of conserving water.
Read More
CWA EXPRESSES DISAPOINTMENT WITH FAILURE TO ACT OVER MODERN SLAVERY
23/05/2023
Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association, said:
"It is astonishing that non-compliant hand car washes remain unregulated and operating illegally in plain sight in 2023."
Read More
CWA URGES THE GOVERNMENT TO CRACK DOWN ON EMPLOYMENT LAW ABUSE
04/05/2023
Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association, said:
“Modern slavery is often practised in broad daylight, with non-compliant hand car wash operators openly flouting employment and environmental regulations with total impunity.
Read More
CAR WASH ASSOCIATION RESPONDS TO £42BN HMRC GAP
12/01/2023
Responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s 2020-2021 HMRC performance report, Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association, said:
“It is unacceptable that the Government is asking people to make responsible financial decisions when the Treasury itself is owed an astonishing £42bn in unpaid taxes. "
Read More
CWA ENCOURAGES AWARENESS ON ANTI-SLAVERY DAY
18/10/2022
Sixteen anti-slavery organisations have joined forces to mark Anti-Slavery Day 2022, on Tuesday October 18 with unregulated, non-compliant hand car washes highlighted as a key area of concern.
Read More
Petrol Plaza interviews the CWA
09/09/2022
Alexander Russell the CWA's Director of Strategy has just been interviewed by Petrol Plaza discussing how the industry has overcome the unregulated hand car wash crisis, the current growth in the automatic wash segment and some of the biggest trends today.
Read More
CWA URGES CAR WASHES TO MINIMISE WATER CONSUMPTION AS UK HEADS FOR A DROUGHT
10/08/2022
The Car Wash Association (CWA) has written to the heads of major water suppliers in the UK, the Environment Agency and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to explain what measures our members are adopting in order to minimise water consumption in car washes.
Read More
CWA EXPRESSES SATISFACTION WITH THE OUTCOME OF NCA’S OPERATION AIDENT
15/07/2022
Following extensive lobbying, the CWA has welcomed the National Crime Agency’s announcement to direct greater focus on non-compliant hand car washes (HCWs) to crackdown on modern slavery.
Read More
CWA endorse the Government’s decision to establish a Single Enforcement Body
16/06/2021
The Car Wash Association (CWA), who have lobbied extensively on the matter, are delighted that the Government is sticking to its manifesto pledge by committing to create a Single Enforcement Body that is responsible for ensuring employment rights are being respected.
Read More
Car Wash Association launches new website
27/05/2021
After many months of hard work and dedication, the Car Wash Association (CWA) is pleased to announce the launch of its new website.
Read More
RMI Chairman congratulates Brian Madderson on his lifetime achievement award
11/05/2021
At the Forecourt Trader Awards, Brian Madderson, Retail Motor Industry (RMI) Director and Chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) and Car Wash Association (CWA), was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Read More
Gordon Balmer appointed as Executive Director at the Petrol Retailers and Car Wash Associations
05/05/2021
The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) and Car Wash Association (CWA) have announced that Gordon Balmer has been appointed as their Executive Director and Retail Motor Industry (RMI) Board member. He joined the PRA in 2014 and has served as its Commercial Manager.
Read More