Thought people may be interested in latest newsletter from TULO. The Trade Union & Labour Party Liaison Organisation. TULO is the body that brings the Labour Party together with the 16 Trade Unions who affiliate to the Labour Party.
Welcome to TULO's newsletter for February 2007 .
This month we are concentrating on an important issue - a Bill to protect agency and temporary workers.
In this edition, we have an article from Tony Dubbins asking for your help in gaining support for a Bill to provide equal protection for agency and temporary workers.
There is also information from the London Fabians, Unions21 & Compass on some events that they are running which you may wish to attend.
We hope you find this Newsletter informative and useful and we remind you that you can view other articles and documents on our website
Regards,
The TULO Office
Time to act to protect temporary and agency workers
Our movement has an important opportunity to act to protect some of our most vulnerable workers. On March 2nd, Paul Farrelly MP will submit a Private Member's Bill to the House of Commons. The subject of this Bill will be protection for temporary and agency workers, which has long been an area where employment protection is weak.
For many, agency working means discrimination in the workplace and:
• poorer pay• denial of sick, holiday and overtime pay• an easy ride for unscrupulous employers.
A key part of the 2004 Warwick Agreement was the pledge by Labour to act to protect agency and temporary workers - either by supporting a European Directive on Agency & Temporary Workers or, if the EU could not reach agreement, to introduce protection within British law.
Since 2004, the discussions at a European level have proven to be difficult, and it is the view of the ETUC and a number of Labour MEPs that the chances of a Directive being agreed upon are highly unlikely.
The Private Member's Bill being brought by Paul Farrelly MP is a reflection of the latest draft of the Directive, and its becoming law would meet the commitment made in the Warwick negotiations. As a result, the National TULO Committee has decided to provide strong support for the Bill and to actively campaign in support of it.
The Bill is due to be presented to the House of Commons on the Friday 2nd March.
That date will be absolutely crucial for the progression of this Bill, as it will require the positive votes of at least 100 MPs if it is to move forward to the committee stage of the Parliamentary process. This could present some difficulties, as Friday is traditionally a day that MPs spend in their constituencies. If the Bill does not receive the 100 votes that it needs, then it will fall and we will have missed this important opportunity to both deliver on a key part of the Warwick agreement and provide protection for some of our most vulnerable workers.
TULO is asking for your support at this important time. We are asking you to do one simple thing:
Click here and take 2 minutes to send an email to Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Minister at the Department for Trade and Industry, asking him to offer the government's support to the Bill.
If you have a Labour MP, you might also want to think about making contact with them to ask them to be present in Westminster on March 2nd to vote for the Bill.
It is my belief that it is only through the wide support of Party and union activists across the country that we will be able to ensure the progress of the Bill. I hope that you will take just a few minutes to play your part in winning protection for Agency & Temporary Workers.
Tony DubbinsTrade Union Chair, National TULO Committee
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