A Fair Deal for Agency Workers

I know that working through an agency can be a convenient route into work for many people, but I have been very concerned to hear that some people are exploited by unscrupulous agencies.

This week the Government agreed a deal between employers and unions that will see all agency workers in the UK receive equal treatment after 12 weeks employment.

The agreement reached will give increased protection to agency workers and guard against unfair wage undercutting.

By working with employers we have made sure that we do not put jobs at risk or cut off a valuable route into employment.

As you know I think it is important for me to keep you up to date with what the Opposition say about measures like this.

In this case, David Cameron claims he is in favour of rights for working people but won't tell people that the Tories have opposed increasing protection for agency workers.

This announcement builds on Labour's existing help for families - including

•  9 months paid maternity leave for new mums; 
•  A right to paternity leave for all dads;
•  Surestart and free childcare for three and four year olds; 
• The childcare element of the Working Tax Credit that pays up to £140 a week for one child and £240 a week for two or more; and
• The National Minimum Wage.

And, as I mentioned in last week’s ‘News from Westminster’, the Labour government has also announced that it will extend the right to request flexible working to parents of children up to age 16 - benefiting an extra 4.5 million parents.

On this issue David Cameron is no different – he says he supports flexible working but he actually voted against it.