Equal Rights for Temporary and Agency Workers
21st May 2008
MPs who voted in favour of the the Temporary and Agency Workers Bill in Feb 2008. Alan is in the 2nd row from the top
Alan has welcomed a joint declaration from the TUC, the CBI and the Government to give temporary and agency workers the same employment rights as permanent employees.
In February Dr Whitehead was one of a number of MPs who voted in support of a Private Members Bill to give such workers the same rights to sick pay, holiday pay, pensions and any other benefits available to permanent employees who do the same job.
The new joint declaration states that after 12 weeks in a given job, there will be an entitlement to equal treatment. Equal treatment is defined to mean 'at least the basic working and employment conditions that would apply to the workers' concerned if they had been recruited directly to do the same job. The proposals will benefit around 70 percent of agency workers.
Speaking from Westminster Dr Whitehead said:
“I strongly supported the Private Member’s Bill on Temporary and Agency Workers and I am extremely pleased by this move to prevent bad employers from abusing so-called temporary staff. Many of these individuals have been employed for years doing the same jobs as ‘permanent’ staff, but are not entitled to the same rights and benefits. I am especially encouraged by the level of cooperation between the business community, trades unions and the Government, demonstrating a strong consensus on the need to stamp out unfair employment practices.”
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