Tempay GMB Members To Protest Over Pay

GMB members employed by employment agency Tempay in Swindon will mount an ABBA themed protest outside the headquarters of Wincanton Logistics in Chippenham on 13th August, at 10:00 am in a dispute over pay.

At a Swindon distribution depot in South Marston, operated by Wincanton on behalf of a household name retail giant, the majority of permanent warehouse staff by employed through an agency called Tempay. Many of these staff have been working at the same site on permanent assignment for several years, but using Section 10 of the Agency Workers Regulations these staff are guaranteed only 7 or 8 hours work per week, and are paid only minimum wage. This is nearly £2 per hour pay than the warehouse staff employed directly for Wincanton.

The details of the protest are as follows:

10am on Wednesday 13th August

Wincanton,

Methuen Park,

Chippenham,

Wiltshire SN14 0WT

GMB members will be dressed as ABBA, with Swedish flags and placards, and there will be a photo opportunity as a GMB "corporate ASBO" is handed into the Wincanton HQ , to draw attention to the unethical use of the Swedish Derogation. They will sing words of Mamma Mia which perfectly sum up their situation with Wincanton –"I've been cheated by you since I don't know when, So I made up my mind, it must come to an end".

GMB consider that Wincanton are unethically using Section 10 of the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) to avoid giving effect to Section 5, relating to equal pay. Since the Agency Workers Regulations came into force in 2011, agency workers are guaranteed no less favourable treatment for terms and conditions and working conditions after completing a qualifying period of 12 weeks. However, a legal loophole under section 10, also called the Swedish Derogation, allows employers to pay less, if they guarantee a small payment between assignments.

(CD/MH)