Public and Commercial Services Union

PCS policy on agency workers, as agreed by the national executive committee July 2005, is:

• to campaign for permanent posts
• to campaign for agency and permanent workers to have comparable pay and terms and conditions
• to organise agency workers and help them win recognition.

In the context of job cuts and job insecurity, this means that:

• if there’s work to do be done we would prefer to see permanent contracts
• if the work need is short-term our choice is for fixed-term contracts with fair and open recruitment, with agency workers used by agreement as a last resort
• agency workers should have a fair chance to apply for jobs
• agency workers’ pay and terms and conditions should be comparable with those of permanent staff.

This guide includes:

• Agency workers, an introduction
• How many agency workers does the government employ
• Agency workers winning a better deal
• Case study, organising for agency workers' rights
• Agency workers' rights
• Organising agency workers
• Who to contact for information and advice