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Battle-Lines Drawn on Agency Exploitation

22nd January 2010

The CWU has warmly welcomed the tabling of Government legislation to give Britain's 1.3 million agency workers important new rights to equal treatment.

Tabled before Parliament yesterday under a "statutory instrument" that results in binding legislation if it is not challenged and annulled during a 40-day period, the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (formally announced today) will belatedly implement an EU Directive, giving agency workers the right to the same pay, holiday and other basic working conditions as directly recruited staff after 12 weeks in a given job.

Stemming from a tripartite agreement reached in 2008 between the TUC, the CBI and the Government, the move is the culmination of a long-standing campaign by the CWU and various other unions for "Justice for Agency Workers." That campaign received strong backing throughout from the Labour Party backbenches - pressure which ultimately persuaded the Government that continued inaction on agency exploitation was untenable.

Welcoming the "long overdue" announcement of legislation, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes turned his fire on the Tories who, even now, appear likelyto try to derail the legislation which aims to prevent low-paid workers being exploited.

"Make no mistake, this is landmark legislation," said Billy. "While it is long overdue,the fact that it is being promoted by a Labour Government and looks likely to be opposed by the Tories places the starkest possible spotlight on the parties' respective positions on vulnerable workers.

"This legislation stands to benefit thousands of comparatively low paid and disadvantaged workers in every constituency and demonstrates that only a Labour Government can be trusted to protect the low paid."