Government announce deal for Agency and Temporary Workers


deal a ‘victory for working people and the country as a whole’ says Leahy

Commenting on today’s announcement for proposed legislation to end the exploitation of agency and temporary workers following a campaign led by the trade union movement, Michael Leahy, General Secretary of Community, said:

‘Today’s announcement is a victory for working people and the country as a whole. Millions of working people in the UK have seen growing job insecurity and reduced pay and other working conditions as a result of the growth in agency and temporary work as unscrupulous employers and employment agencies have led a race to the bottom.

‘Good employers and employment agencies should welcome this proposal because they have nothing to fear. In fact, when implemented, the proposals will top them being undercut by unscrupulous employers and employment agencies who should have no role in 21st Century Britain.

‘The Government’s proposals to tackle this key issue in working Britain – although they have taken longer then they should – show the clear difference between what it means to have a Labour Government compared to a Tory one. David Cameron has made clear whose side he is on: that of unscrupulous employers whose wish to exploit UK and migrant workers as they seek to get rich quick and damn the consequences for social cohesion.’

Earlier this month Community produced a report - http://www.community-tu.org/information/101842/Temporary/ - based on a survey of workplaces were over 8,000 of our members work in order to answer two key questions:

  • Are temporary and agency workers being exploited?
  • Are temporary and agency workers being used by unscrupulous employers to undermine the pay and conditions of permanent employees?

The answer to both of them is a resounding yes.

The exploitation of temporary and agency workers revealed in the report was clear:

  • 56% of temporary and agency workers receive less pay than permanent employees and;
  • Over 60% of temporary and agency workers are not entitled to the same holidays as permanent employees.

The undermining of terms and conditions was also clear from the report:

  • In 40% of workplaces temporary and agency workers are replacing what would normally be overtime for permanent employees and;
  • In over a third of workplaces permanent employees are always or often replaced by temporary and agency workers when they leave.