SECURING A BETTER DEAL FOR AGENCY WORKERS

1
Sally Bridge CWU National Officer 13 October
2005

• SECURING A BETTER DEAL FOR AGENCY WORKERS

2
INTRODUCTION

• Sally Bridge, CWU National Officer since
• 1997 with responsibility in the CWU for -
• securing recognition agreements with Agency
  Suppliers in the telecommunication sector
• agency pay and terms conditions of employment.

3
ORGANISING AGENCY WORKERS

• Should Trade Unions even become involved in
  organising Agency workers?
• What are the barriers to organising Agency
  workers?

4
ORGANISING AGENCY WORKERS

• How do we sell ourselves to
• Agency Workers
• Agency Suppliers

5
THE AGENCY SUPPLIERS

• What does a Recognition Agreement with an Agency
  Supplier look like?
• Is full collective bargaining the be all and end
  all?

6
WHAT IS THE CWU EXPERIENCE

• The CWU has a good working relationship with all
  of the key Agency Suppliers
• CWU unable to have any meaningful input on pay.
• CWU continually raising pay at national level
  when Manpower had compiled a Business Case at
  local level.
• Pressure from Branches to improve process.

7
WORKING PARTY

• Manpower agreed to set up a joint working party
  to explore whether a more meaningful process
  could be agreed
• Representatives from Manpower and CWU on the
  working party.

8
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• In order to achieve this joint aim Manpower will
  commit to
• Enter into meaningful consultations on business
  cases with the CWU with a view to improving and
  developing the justification process to progress
  pay.
• The timely provision of relevant and historical
  information relating to the construction of a
  business case.
• The CWU will commit to
• Treat all information received from Manpower in
  strictest confidence.
• Enter into meaningful consultations with Manpower
  which will provide positive input and support
  that will help build a strong business case
  across all sites.

9
MANPOWER BUSINESS CASE

• PRINCIPLES OF DUMMY CASE
• Background current pay rates.
• Why a pay increase is warranted.
• Benefits to client
• - retention
• - more productive
• - decrease in sick
• Competition
• Conclusions
• Recommendation

10
CWU BRIEF TO MANPOWER PAY

• The pay claim.
• Key pay information.
• Where to find information on pay rates and
  conditions.
• Where to find information on pay settlements.

11
THE CWU EXPERIENCE

• Improvements to Terms and Conditions are
  important but they may not always be possible.
• What then?

12
THE CWU EXPERIENCE

• Establish other areas where improvement can be
  made to the working lives of agency workers.
• Soft issues - Performance Management
• - Discipline
• - Grievance
• - Health Safety.
• Establish Best Practice.

13
CWU EXPERIENCE

• Working with the Agency Suppliers can make a
  difference.
• Improves and protects the working lives of some
  of the most vulnerable workers in the work place.
• Raises the profile of the Union and is an added
  potential membership base.