16th March 2010
ASDA: Better Employment Terms for Agency Workers
Leading supermarket chain ASDA has become the first to implement a new EU Directive giving temporary staff the same rate of pay as permanent staff. This will mean that ASDA's 6,000 agency workers, mostly migrants, will now enjoy the same rates of pay as other workers at ASDA's meat and poultry suppliers.
Unite, the Union that helped to strike the deal, has said that prior to the agreement agency workers, typically from Eastern Europe, had been getting between 30p and £1 per hour less that permanent staff for doing the same job. This had led to unrest between different communities as permanent staff felt that migrants brought down wages and agency staff felt angered that they were paid less for doing the same job as their colleagues with contracts.
The Agency Workers Directive aims to ensure fairer working terms for temporary staff who are employed by a hiring company agency, rather than the company they directly work for. The temporary staff can be full-time or part-time. Under the directive, they will be entitled to holiday and sick pay rights after being employed for more than 12 weeks and enjoy the same rate of pay as permanent staff.
If you would like further guidance on the EU Directive or your own case please contact Rollingsons Employment Law Department on 020 7611 4848.
