AGENCY WORKERS

That this House notes with concern the growing proportion of new jobs that are considered temporary and are mainly filled by agency workers; believes that many of these jobs are the most precarious and vulnerable in the labour market, with many of these workers subjected to inferior pay and excluded from maternity and paternity leave and other flexible working rights such as paid notice on the termination of employment, pension provision and access to training and development opportunities; further believes that such a situation is unacceptable in a modern society; and calls on the Government to introduce legislation to establish the principle of equal pay and conditions for agency and permanent employees, in line with the terms of the Warwick Agreement.