Call to end the exploitation of agency workers
Politicians must show they are serious about cracking down on the exploitation of agency workers, including supply teachers, NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK, has said.
Speaking during Decent Jobs Week, which has been organised by the TUC to cal for an end to the casualisation and exploitation of workers in short-term and insecure work, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
“Millions of agency workers, including supply teachers face daily exploitation by unscrupulous employment agencies.
“The NASUWT has been campaigning consistently for action to tackle the agencies which are exploiting supply teachers by denying them the pay and working conditions to which they are entitled.
“Supply teachers are a valuable resource for schools and they should be paid and treated in a manner which recognises their skills and attributes.
“In his recent Autumn Statement the Chancellor belatedly agreed to examine the use of umbrella companies by some agencies to deprive workers of their rights and entitlements.
“The Chancellor must ensure this review is conducted urgently in order to end the unacceptable exploitation of agency workers. He should also follow the leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband’s lead, and commit to introduce regulation and licensing of agencies to help ensure all workers are treated with dignity and receive their rights and entitlements."
Notes to editors
Decent Jobs Week runs from 15-21 December. The week, which is organised by the TUC, is calling for an end to the growth in casualisation and the exploitation of zero-hours contract workers, agency workers, those on short-hours contracts and others forms of insecure work.
More information can be found at www.decentjobsweek.org
Lena Davies
Press and Media Officer
NASUWT
0121 457 6250 / 07867 392746
lena.davies@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
-01.png){kind=spacer}