Justice for Agency Workers ‘Euro-trashed’ Campaign
Minister Blocks Private Members Bill
5 March 2007
On Friday 2 March the Government wrecked the chance of new laws to provide employment protection for millions of temporary and migrant workers who have lower wages, no sick pay, holidays or pensions. Jim Fitzpatrick, minister for employment relations, blocked the private member's bill to give agency workers new rights despite 115 Labour MPs - a third of the party - turning up to back the measure.
Mr Fitzpatrick, who was still speaking when time for the bill ran out, said he would consult with the unions and MPs on limited measures to improve employment conditions for agency workers. But he said he could not give any date for future legislation.
John McDonnell, leftwing leadership contender, said the minister's action made him ashamed to be a Labour MP. "Deliberately preventing MPs from even having the opportunity to properly debate bills that extend the rights of working people in this country is an absolute disgrace and brings the whole of parliament into disrepute," he said.
The CWU played a huge role in securing the majority of these pledges and despite all the efforts from the Government and the Whips to wreck the Bill there are a lot of positives that have come about from this campaign which should give us hope to continue to move this campaign forward.
- We forced the first labour closure since 1997 on Graham Stringer's PMB - Off Road Vehicles (Registration) Bill in order that the Agency Workers Bill could be reached.
- We got the Agency Workers Bill heard.
- Despite the short time to debate the Bill the minister was put under pressure and was made to get to his feet on a number of occasions and was challenged about the governments record in Europe, as well as when he was going to bring forward UK legislation for agency workers.
- The government have been forced to issue their consultation paper on 'Success at Work' that gives us another opportunity to press our claim for equal treatment.
- Paul Farrelly's Bill has raised the profile of the plight of agency workers and brought this to the forefront of the political agenda.