The Socialist 1 October 2014

Pay cuts: Angry and ready to strike!

No to imperialist war

US led bombings will worsen divisions

Hong Kong: "umbrella revolution" changes everything

More brutal cuts from the imploding Tories

Labour: no real alternative

Housing - a history of class struggle

Them & Us

Pay cuts: Angry and ready to strike!

Local government pay: Reject employers' proposal

Hove Park victory: academies can be stopped

Doncaster Care UK workers start record strike

Continuing Bob Crow's legacy after RMT election

CWU's political fund and political voice

York University - Student housing letting agency victory

Round up: Socialist Students at the freshers fairs

What party should students vote for?

Support the E15 mums

Scotland is in a party joining mood

Fire and rescue... rescued

Wet books: send bucks!

Labour's housing failure

A day in the life of an agency worker

Film review: Still the enemy within

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A day in the life of an agency worker

Insecurity and exploitation

An agency worker

I wake up at 5.30am, throw on the uniform I spent my last pay cheque buying, leave at 6am to arrive at the pick up at 6.30am. If I'm late I risk losing not just one shift, but all future ones.

When I get there I'm informed that I won't be getting the three hours travel pay I was promised for the six hours travelling. Staff hang around, sharing stories of missing pay and 19 hour shifts. We wait for the coach - fortunately only 20 minutes - far less than the hour and a half last time. We finally leave at 7.10am for the three hour journey.

We arrive and it's work on a bar, not the waiting shift I was told about. Still, I learn quickly and keep up till a 20 minute break after seven hours where we are treated to a hot meal. I lose the first five minutes finishing up and rush to the dinner queue. By the time I sit down I have five minutes to eat the food as fast as possible and get back to my workstation. Still, only a few hours left.

At 6.25pm I'm signed off as 6.15pm. I grab my stuff and go to the coach where we wait for all the staff to finish their shifts. Now I have access to my phone I spend the time applying for as many shifts as I can for tomorrow.

Finally at 8pm we set off for the three hour journey back.