LTB 186/18 – CWU Campaign – Close The Gap – Government Consultation on Taylor Review  

No. 186/2018

06 April 2018

To:  All TFSE Branches

 

Dear Colleague,

CWU Campaign – Close The Gap – Government Consultation on Taylor Review  

The government has published its long awaited consultation document on recommendations made in the Matthew Taylor ‘Review of modern employment practices’ relating to agency workers.

Please click on link to view the document;

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/agency-workers-recommendations

The agency workers’ consultation document is compiled into three sections:

  • Section 1:  Improving the transparency of information provided to work seekers.
  • Section 2:  Extending the remit of the Employment agency Standards inspectorate to cover umbrella companies and intermediaries in the supply chain.
  • Section 3: Pay Between Assignments

The CWU will be making a national submission on all aspects of the government consultation, but it is Section 3 (page 18) that is of most interest as this section seeks evidence and views on whether the government should repeal the legislation that allows agency workers to opt out of equal pay entitlements (the ‘Swedish Derogation’) or, whether enhanced enforcement is required.

The CWU strongly believes that enhanced enforcement is not the answer and is currently campaigning to abolish Pay Between Assignment contracts.  It is therefore crucial that the government receive as much feedback as possible expressing this view.

The key questions that we would like the Branches to respond to in relation to Section 3 can be found on page 21 of the document.

We are asking branches to answer questions 8-12

Model answers have been prepared and are attached  which can be used by the branches,  although we are encouraging branches to elaborate on questions 9 & 10 where you can share your own branch experiences of PBA contracts.  We would also like Manpower members’ to make an individual  response particularly to questions 9 & 10 and share their own individual experience of working on a PBA contract as this will undoubtedly strengthen the submission.

In order to assist branches so that they can make electronic submissions please also find an attached electronic version of the questions which can be completed and emailed to the email address below.

Please note branches (or members) will also need to complete the questions in Section 4 (page 22 &23) which are self-explanatory. Also attached in electronic format.

Responses can be emailed to awconsultation@beis.gov.uk.

Or posted to:

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Labour Markets, Spur 2,

1 Victoria Street, London SW1H OET

All responses need to be received by 9 May 2018.

A conference call with the Manpower branches will be arranged before conference to discuss the consultation document in more detail and to take any questions that you may have.

Details of the conference call as follows:

 

Monday 09 April 2018       13:00-14:00 hrs

            Dial in:                                   0800 731 7239

            Participant’s code:             243 55 301#

 

Any questions relating to this LTB should be addressed to Sally Bridge, National Officer sabridge@cwu.org

 

Yours sincerely

 

Sally Bridge

National Officer

LTB 186.2018 – CWU Campaign Close The Gap Government Consultation on Taylor Review

LTB 186.2018 Attachment 1

LTB 186.2018 Attachment 2