UPDATE ON THE JUSTICE FOR AGENCY WORKERS CAMPAIGN   

December 2007

The CWU is extremely disappointed at the UK Government blocking the Temporary Agency Workers Directive (TAWD) at a meeting of the Council of European Ministers. This is a huge blow to the hopes of thousands of agency workers in the UK who were expecting their politicians to fight for the end to unequal treatment in the workplace.

Billy Hayes, General Secretary, said: “CWU will continue to campaign on behalf of our 6,000 agency members who deserve the rights which their colleagues on permanent contracts already enjoy. Although we are extremely disappointed with the outcome of yesterday’s meeting our focus now turns to Labour Party policy and the introduction of domestic legislation.”

Justice for Agency Workers – Andrew Miller MP - Private Members Bill Equal Treatment for Agency Workers

The CWU North West Regional Officers have welcomed the fact that Andrew Miller, MP Elsmere Port has been drawn out 3rd in the annual MP’s Private Members Bill lottery and has agreed to sponsor the equal treatment for Agency Workers Bill previously supported by Paul Farrelly. The regional officers have pledged to do all they can to ensure that the bill receives the support necessary to be heard and to progress to the committee stage.

The first reading of the bill has been set down for 22 February 2008

The CWU Agency Campaign Team and the Regional Secretaries have now agreed an Action Plan to ensure that the Bill receives the necessary support of 100 MP’s required for the Bill to be heard and progress to the Committee stage process.

The Regional Secretaries have been given a key role in liaising with the Branches and MP’s running up to the 22 February 2008 and a number of initiatives have been agreed which includes:

1. A draft Model Motion to be used at CLP’s, Trade Councils, TUC etc.
2. A daft model letter to MP’s for support and attendance at the PMB
3. Regional Secretaries to liaise with Branches and members regarding MP’s surgeries.
4. Head Office to co-ordinate a matrix of supporting MP’s and to send out a list of those MP’s that previously supported Paul Farrelly’s Private Members Bill.
5. Publicity posters/new campaign/Logo/Voice publicity/national and local media etc.
6. New posters and leaflets for Branches.
7. Update of the CWU web page.
8. Stunts/events/lobby of MP’s.
9. CWU sponsored MP’s meeting.
10. Trade Union Coalition Group.

Regular conference calls will take place with the Regional Secretaries to receive updates and to discuss progress.

Next Steps Involving Branches and CWU Activists in Prosperity and Work

At the recent Agency Forum a presentation was given on the next steps to the Justice for Agency Workers Campaign.  It was emphasised that whilst the CWU have been pushing very strongly for progress to be made on the adoption of the EU Temporary Agency Workers Directive, by pressurising MEP’s, European Parliamentary Labour Party (EPLP) and other European political institutions.   However, the CWU campaign needs to be waged on two fronts which involve the call for domestic legislation to provide equal rights for agency workers.

As part of the  re-launch of the campaign  we are now asking Branches and members to become directly involved by having an input into the Prosperity and Work which is one of the six internal Labour Party policy commission documents which will directly shape the parties next manifesto.

The consultation closes at the end of February 2008.  We therefore want to encourage Branches and members to become involved or set up their own policy forum so that they can make an input into any submission.

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