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Recognise us all

12 November 2009

Agency workers employed by Kelly Services in Glasgow recently won union recognition. A young agency worker explains why PCS is the union for them.

We’re employed through Kelly Services on a contract providing payroll and pensions support to the Armed Forces. The contract, operated by HP Enterprises is very prestigious and profitable. We perform the same duties as our permanent employees but rewarded with significantly lower wages, less leave, no sick pay, and no job security. We can be sacked at a couple of hours notice.

This is an ongoing issue for PCS members - the use of agency staff to fill posts which should be permanent. It is clear the employer is looking to have work done on the cheap. They assume agency workers on poor terms and conditions will be weak and unwilling to speak out because of the tenuous nature of their employment.

Strength through organisation

But young members in Glasgow have refused to be treated as mere commodities by multi-national employers. We recognised the only way to improve our situation was to act together. After a long struggle we’ve now achieved recognition and are currently engaged in collective pay negotiations with our employer.

We are fortunate that the local PCS branch is well organised. Permanent colleagues recognise the injustice we face and have helped us organise. Local reps taught us the role trade unions play and fostered the idea of collective action and solidarity. Most of us had no knowledge of trade unions before this.

It became apparent the commitment of young agency members was overwhelming. Support and membership grew quickly. Meetings were organised in the workplace and in the evenings. We elected our own reps.

Our first goal was union recognition. This would ensure our bosses would have no choice but to negotiate with us. We approached Kelly Services to seek a voluntary agreement. They were reluctant to include talks on pay within the agreement. We had no option but to pursue our campaign through the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). Because of our continued commitment and support, the CAC ruled in our favour.