Every year, thousands of students take on temporary or agency work during vacation times in order to earn the money they need to keep themselves afloat. For far too long, temporary workers have been unprotected in the workplace. For many students, agency working means:

• poorer pay;
• denial of sick, overtime and holiday pay; and
• an easy ride for unscrupulous employers.

This issue clearly has to be a high priority for our movement – the fact that it was specifically raised at three quarters of “west side” regional conferences shows just how widespread a concern it really is.

Fortunately, we now have a chance to contribute to protecting agency and temporary workers. Paul Farrelly MP has submitted a Private Member’s Bill to Parliament that, if passed into law, would provide protection for temporary workers.

The Temporary and Agency Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Bill will come for its second reading on March 2nd. In order for it to progress to the next stage of the parliamentary process, it has to receive 100 votes.

This could present some difficulties, as Friday is traditionally a day that many MPs spend in their constituencies. If the Bill does not receive 100 votes then it will fall, and we will have missed this important opportunity to protect so many vulnerable workers.

I am asking you to spend two minutes personalising this letter, and sending to your MP – Agency Workers Letter.doc. If you don’t know who your MP is you can fine out at www.writetothem.com. You can send the letters to your MP at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

I do hope you will join me in taking part in this important campaign.

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