quote:

---

Tuesday September 9, 2008

WAC gets temp agency workers in the news!

CBC Radio (99.1 FM) is running a story on temp work over three days on its morning show (Metro Morning between 6:30 to 8:30 am). Workers’ Action Centre worked with CBC reporter Mike Crawley and a number of WAC members have been interviewed for the story.

The story so far is focusing on how temp agency work is growing but workers are being treated unfairly and the employment standards law does not protect workers. The story also will cover the Ministry of Labour’s consultation on temp agency work and potential changes to protect temp workers.

But we need to make sure more temp workers voices are heard to keep pushing the Ministry of Labour to make the best changes possible for temp workers.

If you are a temp worker there are two ways that you can be heard:

1) call the CBC radio voice mail and leave a message. The number is: 416-205-5807 - if you leave a message, some or all of your message may be played by CBC later in the week.

2) go to the CBC website at and on the top right is a box saying "Your Turn: Share your view Online Forum - tell us about your experiences with temporary work." Click "online forum" and it will allow you to write a message.
- if you write a message, it may be read out on the radio later this week.

Call or email before Wednesday September 10th!

What message:

You probably only have about 60 seconds to make your point on the voice mail. So keep it short. Pick out one big problem you have experienced, briefly describe it (without using company names) and connect it to one of the key points below.

· Temp workers are treated unfairly – we get lower wages, no benefits and no protection.

· When problems arise the laws don’t protect us because temp workers have two bosses and neither employer wants to take responsibility. The current Employment Standards Act lets them get away with it.

· Temp workers are treated like second class workers. Most are denied public holiday pay that our permanent co-workers get.

· Temp agency work is a path to lower wages and job insecurity because of the barriers to permanent work.

If you are not a temp agency worker, you can still add your voice. Call and tell CBC how important it is that CBC is covering stories
affecting temp workers. It is important to let CBC know that we need them to cover more stories affecting people who work and don’t get paid enough and don’t get protected when the boss breaks the law and how the laws aren’t protecting workers today.

For more information or if you need help call the Workers Action Centre:

Nadira ext 223
Deena ext 222
or Mary, PCLS, at 416-833-9510.

---

http://www.workersactioncentre.org

From CBC webpage:
>

quote:

---

They're the disposable people of the workplace - temps - and there are a growing number of them in our offices, shops and factories. But concerns are being raised that the temp industry is taking advantage of workers.

This week during the newscasts on Metro Morning , listen to the CBC Radio One 99.1 FM series Equal Work, Unequal Treatment.

You'll hear the stories of temp workers who've been cheated of wages or barred from getting permanent jobs. Some of their stories will be posted online, along with the views of econonomists and people who run temp agencies.

---

I'll be the one talking about how these agencies actually have the gall to think that they're doing workers a favour, because they say, otherwise these workers would be unemployable. Well if they're unemployable, the only reason for that is because temp agencies have contracts on all the unskilled labour jobs, so they can skim off their 50% and call that their profit. It's a racket, it's extortion, it puts legitimate employers at a competitive disadvantage and it needs to be regulated.