AGENCY WORKERS in the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) in
Workington, Cumbria have unanimously voted in favour of union
recognition.
Tracy Edwards
The BCMS employs over 500 staff from the employment agency Adecco,
with 60% of them having worked there for over two years. These workers
only receive the minimum wage and do not have sick pay, bank holiday
entitlements or a company pension scheme. Their average age is around
18, a large portion of them being school leavers.
They have no protection from dismissal and the employer does not have
to give them notice.
The ballot was carried out by the CAC, the body which adjudicates on
union recognition. The result is an overwhelming indication that agency
workers want to have the same conditions and rights as permanent
workers.
There was 574 ballot papers sent out, 368 returned, in a 64.1%
turnout. None of the ballot papers were spoilt and all were returned
with a ‘yes’ vote!
I spoke to one of the agency workers active in the Public and
Commercial Services union (PCS). He told me: "There are three main
employers in and around Workington: BCMS, Sellafield and a paper-making
factory. They all employ agency staff.
"While Adecco (the agency which BCMS use) earns on average £145,000
per week of tax payers’ money from BCMS, the average young person in
Workington cannot afford anything near a decent quality of life.
Something has to be done. It’s criminal."
And something is now beginning to be done. This result will lift the
hopes of these workers.
The branch organiser in the BCMS, who has been instrumental in the
recognition campaign, told me "This is just the start. This is the first
time ever that the CAC have run a ballot with 100% in favour. I look
forward to the future and we will be building on from this fantastic
result".
This campaign, which was organised by the PCS, has been watched
closely by other unions and has now set the tone for future agency
worker campaigns.
This is a great result for all workers and will now send a message to
the employment agencies, that agency workers are prepared to stand up
and unite in the fight for the right to decent employment, free from
insecurity and exploitation.
