Post by thefiguresix on Jul 27, 2009 1:09:33 GMT
I was just wondering has anyone on here had any discussions on the effects that temp agencies have had on workers rights and the strength of the organised labour movement.
Ive had many unfortunate experiences with them in the past. It feels like they operate in a bubble where whatever poor labour laws there are dont apply at all. If organisations that we recognise as typical employers tried some of the methods that these people use there would be consequences and action, but neither government nor union wants to try and reign these people in.
The absolute farce of the "temp" contracts that people are hired on are just total licence to hire and fire with no checks on equality of fairness of any kind.
I remember being on the dole and looking for work during a time when the job market was supposedly booming. I remember the absolute frustration of finding jobs only to see at the bottom that the "employer" was some shitty fucking temp place. The dole would send me along to the "interviews" for the supposed jobs and invariably it would involve filling out some crap form to be put on the books. The question of what had happened to my interview and about the advertised job always met with a blank expression from the animated toy doll conducting the whole pointless exercise.
When I worked as a temp I was prevented from joining the union by the union rep. The union actually organised against the temps and then when they went on strike they expected us to come out with them. In other jobs where I have been a union member and a full timer, union reps would think I was wierd if I asked them what they were doing to support the temps and stop the management from openly breaking the law.
They very openly use racist, sectarian and exploitative selection methods and use summary dismissal or job reallocation as punishment. Is there any movement seeking to openly question and attack them. If not why not and if so then who and why is thier campaign so ineffective. There are ways to begin to undermine them quite easily.
Ive had many unfortunate experiences with them in the past. It feels like they operate in a bubble where whatever poor labour laws there are dont apply at all. If organisations that we recognise as typical employers tried some of the methods that these people use there would be consequences and action, but neither government nor union wants to try and reign these people in.
The absolute farce of the "temp" contracts that people are hired on are just total licence to hire and fire with no checks on equality of fairness of any kind.
I remember being on the dole and looking for work during a time when the job market was supposedly booming. I remember the absolute frustration of finding jobs only to see at the bottom that the "employer" was some shitty fucking temp place. The dole would send me along to the "interviews" for the supposed jobs and invariably it would involve filling out some crap form to be put on the books. The question of what had happened to my interview and about the advertised job always met with a blank expression from the animated toy doll conducting the whole pointless exercise.
When I worked as a temp I was prevented from joining the union by the union rep. The union actually organised against the temps and then when they went on strike they expected us to come out with them. In other jobs where I have been a union member and a full timer, union reps would think I was wierd if I asked them what they were doing to support the temps and stop the management from openly breaking the law.
They very openly use racist, sectarian and exploitative selection methods and use summary dismissal or job reallocation as punishment. Is there any movement seeking to openly question and attack them. If not why not and if so then who and why is thier campaign so ineffective. There are ways to begin to undermine them quite easily.