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14/10/2005
Temps treated like ‘second-class workers’
Many temporary employees are being treated like ‘throwaway second-class workers’, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has claimed.
The TUC has delivered a dossier of reports from temporary workers to the government, detailing a list of abuses suffered by temps, including illegal low pay, unlawful deductions from wages and the withholding of holiday pay.
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary said: “Temping is vital to today’s modern economy, but with no proper protection, too many agency temps are suffering working practices from the dark ages. Too many are treated like a throwaway second-class worker and have to take it or leave. If they complain, they lose their assignment and any chance of more work with the agency.
“Decent, Europe-wide rights for agency workers would make temping the quality step into, or stop gap between, full-time work that it should be.”
In the UK, temporary workers do not have the same rights as permanent employees and are not entitled to such benefits as redundancy pay, maternity pay and the right to claim unfair dismissal.
The Temporary Agency Workers Directive, which would have granted UK temps the right to the same pay and basic employment protections as permanent staff, has been put on hold at a European level after countries failed to agree on the proposals.
However, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), which represents recruitment agencies, has disputed the TUC’s claims. On Thursday, the REC published independent research, which showed that 52% of temporary workers chose temping for “positive reasons”, such as increased flexibility, better pay or to gain valuable work experience.
The survey also found that only one in seven agency workers surveyed was dissatisfied with their work to any degree.
Gareth Osbourne, Managing Director of REC, said: “Attitudes to work have changed, with variety and flexibility increasingly being the key indicators of job satisfaction. Traditional notions of job security are also being challenged, with individuals taking more responsibility for developing their own skills, experience and contracts.
“Temping still provides a short-term solution and a way back into the labour market for many, but the research shows that the UK now has a diverse mix of temporary workers. This includes long-term or career temps, ‘flexi-temps’ who enjoy the work life balance, ‘extra income temps’, ‘student temps’ and ‘stepping-stone’ temps who are re-entering the workplace or in the process of finding permanent work”.
There are currently around 1.3 million people in the UK registered with employment agencies.
(KMcA/SP)
The TUC has delivered a dossier of reports from temporary workers to the government, detailing a list of abuses suffered by temps, including illegal low pay, unlawful deductions from wages and the withholding of holiday pay.
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary said: “Temping is vital to today’s modern economy, but with no proper protection, too many agency temps are suffering working practices from the dark ages. Too many are treated like a throwaway second-class worker and have to take it or leave. If they complain, they lose their assignment and any chance of more work with the agency.
“Decent, Europe-wide rights for agency workers would make temping the quality step into, or stop gap between, full-time work that it should be.”
In the UK, temporary workers do not have the same rights as permanent employees and are not entitled to such benefits as redundancy pay, maternity pay and the right to claim unfair dismissal.
The Temporary Agency Workers Directive, which would have granted UK temps the right to the same pay and basic employment protections as permanent staff, has been put on hold at a European level after countries failed to agree on the proposals.
However, the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), which represents recruitment agencies, has disputed the TUC’s claims. On Thursday, the REC published independent research, which showed that 52% of temporary workers chose temping for “positive reasons”, such as increased flexibility, better pay or to gain valuable work experience.
The survey also found that only one in seven agency workers surveyed was dissatisfied with their work to any degree.
Gareth Osbourne, Managing Director of REC, said: “Attitudes to work have changed, with variety and flexibility increasingly being the key indicators of job satisfaction. Traditional notions of job security are also being challenged, with individuals taking more responsibility for developing their own skills, experience and contracts.
“Temping still provides a short-term solution and a way back into the labour market for many, but the research shows that the UK now has a diverse mix of temporary workers. This includes long-term or career temps, ‘flexi-temps’ who enjoy the work life balance, ‘extra income temps’, ‘student temps’ and ‘stepping-stone’ temps who are re-entering the workplace or in the process of finding permanent work”.
There are currently around 1.3 million people in the UK registered with employment agencies.
(KMcA/SP)
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23 June 2005
UK temps ‘least protected in Europe’, TUC claims
UK agency workers are the least protected in Europe, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has claimed, with agency workers in Poland and Slovenia having more rights than British temps.
UK temps ‘least protected in Europe’, TUC claims
UK agency workers are the least protected in Europe, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has claimed, with agency workers in Poland and Slovenia having more rights than British temps.
05 June 2006
Businesses Fail To Make Best Use Of Temps
UK Businesses are failing to make the most of their temporary workers according to a survey by a recruitment consultancy. A worrying 88% of temporary workers claim their skills are not being fully used by employers, 34% feel they are not at all stretched in their work and only 17% of respondents are learning new skills.
Businesses Fail To Make Best Use Of Temps
UK Businesses are failing to make the most of their temporary workers according to a survey by a recruitment consultancy. A worrying 88% of temporary workers claim their skills are not being fully used by employers, 34% feel they are not at all stretched in their work and only 17% of respondents are learning new skills.
05 December 2011
Laws On Agency Workers Equality 'Imposed'
Staff recruited by a private agency are to have the same employment rights as those employed directly by businesses. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton is to enact laws soon that will give equal status to agency workers.
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Staff recruited by a private agency are to have the same employment rights as those employed directly by businesses. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton is to enact laws soon that will give equal status to agency workers.
11 August 2014
Tempay GMB Members To Protest Over Pay
GMB members employed by employment agency Tempay in Swindon will mount an ABBA themed protest outside the headquarters of Wincanton Logistics in Chippenham on 13th August, at 10:00 am in a dispute over pay.
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12 January 2012
Cautious Welcome For Agency Workers' Bill
Speaking in the Dáil on the Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) Bill, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on jobs and enterprise, said that it was "a step in the right direction in safeguarding the rights of workers", but warned against targeting low-paid workers in an attempt to maintain competitiveness.
Cautious Welcome For Agency Workers' Bill
Speaking in the Dáil on the Protection of Employees (Agency Workers) Bill, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on jobs and enterprise, said that it was "a step in the right direction in safeguarding the rights of workers", but warned against targeting low-paid workers in an attempt to maintain competitiveness.
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