Temporary and agency workers' rights campaign
Unite is stepping up its campaign for legislation to
ensure the equal treatment of Temporary and Agency
Workers.
Along with other trade unions, Unite is supporting the second
reading of a Private Members Bill on 22 February 2008 tabled by
Unite Labour MP Andrew Miller, which aims to end the widespread
exploitation of Temporary and Agency Workers.
Ahead of the second reading of a bill that would give agency
workers equal rights to permanently and directly employed staff, a
Unite member has been working 'undercover' to see and experience
the plight of agency working - "Simon's" video diary can be viewed
here.
His time as an agency worker revealed a shadowy and insecure
world of work where no national insurance was paid, contracts of
work did not exist and no workplace training or basic safety
equipment was provided. Promises of permanent employment from
agency positions also failed to materialise, contradicting the
government's arguments that agency working provides a gateway into
direct employment.
Mystery agency worker, Simon, who spent six weeks working on
agency contracts in the Midlands, said: "I am a union activist so I
thought I knew what to expect in undertaking this work but what I
saw shocked and depressed me.
"Even as a skilled manufacturing worker I barely earned above
the minimum wage, I had illegal deductions taken from my pay, I had
to work dangerous machinery without any training and without the
legally required protective equipment and these jobs came via
so-called 'legitimate' agencies.
"For other agency workers the experience was even worse. Their
contract-to-contract existence means a life of hardship,
desperation and a weekly struggle to make ends meet."
Simon, married with two young children, and a former union rep
and skilled manufacturing worker, spent six weeks this year seeking
work undercover from some of the country’s leading high street
employment agencies based in and around the constituency of
Employment Minister Pat McFadden.
Simon experiences have revealed:
- Jobs advertised in the job centre as permanent were never found
to be so. In one case, an employer promised permanency after 13
weeks yet no worker was ever employed for longer than 12 weeks. In
another, a skilled manufacturing worker had been doing the same
temporary contract for 14 months, despite the post being advertised
as permanent.
- Advertised pay rates were rarely paid. In one contract, Simon
was paid 50 pence per hour below the advertised rate. The job had
been advertised at £7.50 per hour by the agency, but the company
said he would only be paid £7 per hour.
- 10p per hour knocked off pay rate if day off taken
- Health and safety training was minimal. In one case, Simon's
job involved handling extremely hot plastic, yet he was provided
inadequate protective equipment. In another firm, there was no
accident book (check back on details) and Simon was told the
company was "laid back" about such basics.
- Making ends meet was a huge struggle. Simon was never promised
minimum weekly hours and never knew from week to week if he had
work. The insecurity and minimum wages caused tremendous hardship
for Simon and his family.
- Agencies exert a vice-like grip on access to the labour market.
Far from helping workers into the job market, agencies can erect
barriers to the workplace. They decide who is sent for interview,
workers have no other route into prospective employers.
- Agencies can help employers skirt employment law. If an
employer does not want to employ a woman or a migrant worker, then
the agency can make sure such workers are never presented for
interview.
As a skilled manufacturing worker, Simon was distressed to find
that even within his industry temporary agency working was
commonplace, giving the lie to industry’s argument that agency
working offers companies a temporary employment solution.
Unite believes that only UK legislation can end the scourge of
widespread abuses and guarantee equal rights for equal treatment
for over 1.4 million agency workers in the UK.
Unite believe that the tide is turning with growing support for
legislation among Labour MPs, across Europe and among the public
generally.
For the bill to proceed though it needs the support of more than
100 MPs which is why we are asking our MPs to be in the Commons on
the 22 February and Back the Bill.
Please do your bit to stop agency workers being employed on
poorer terms and conditions and the undercutting of directly
employed staff.
Write
to your MP and ask him or her to be in the Commons on 22 February
to support the bill - a MS Word 
example of the letter to
send can be downloaded here.
If you’re not sure who your MP is
please log on to http://www.theyworkforyou.com
or http://www.writeforthem.com
Postcards are also available to send
to your MP. You can email your MP from this link directly or
you can send a hard copy. Postcard copies are currently being
circulated to workplaces from your regional offices. If you haven’t
received copies or want more please contact your regional
office.
