CWU campaigners have braved freezing temperatures this morning to raise awareness of agency workers being 'cheated' out of hundreds of pounds of pay each month.
Campaigners have been talking to call centre workers in Blackburn, Canterbury, Doncaster, Gosforth, Lancaster, Lincoln, Nottingham, South Shields, Warrington, Dundee, Glasgow, Portadown, and Newport. Many workers do not realise the rights they sign away when signing 'Pay Between Assignment' contracts.
In an icy Newport, South Wales, outside BT's large contact centre, CWU Regional Secretary Gary Watkins told us: "BT is increasing the number of PBA contracted staff at the Factory Road site so the relevance of the campaign continues to grow."
One worker known as Gareth said: "At the pay rates of the PBA contracts, I may as well do a paper round."
CWU deputy general secretary Andy Kerr told BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "These contracts are morally wrong. We want the government to do something about it. Agency workers are losing hundreds of pounds in pay which they're entitled to."
Campaigners clad in CWU hoodies in Doncaster braved -5 degree temperatures early this morning as agency workers were arriving at work.
CWU national official Sally Bridge was at Doncaster first thing before travelling to Lincoln to take in two sites. "The day's going really well" said Sally en-route to Lincoln. "There was a great turnout at Doncaster with lots of people turning up for work and signing MPs letters, taking a doughnut and wearing the campaign badges. Irrespective of the freezing temperatures spirits are high and we're feeling good."
In Lincoln, temperatures dipped to -7 where campaigners had inflatable mobile phones and cheery smiles to greet agency staff.
Loophole-themed ring doughnuts were on offer in Nottingham where campaigners used the sugary treats to highlight the loophole in the law preventing workers from achieving equal pay.
In Canterbury the CWU's regional banner was on display in a strong visual protest outside Becket House call centre.
In Warrington, campaigners are doing brisk business handing out doughnuts and Polos to workers arriving at the call centre and report that people are wearing the campaign badges in the call centre. Liverpool District Clerical branch secretary Rob Aldritt said: "People are identifying with the campaign really quickly. They want to know how soon the union can affect change and have confidence in us to make a difference. Lots of people are coming over to express their support."
Cold temperatures in Blackburn didn't deter people getting involved in the campaign. North West regional secretary Carl Webb said: "The flyers and badges have gone like hot cakes. People are wearing the badges and there's an agency workers affected by the contract wearing a campaign hoodie on site. The response has been really great. There's not a person who hasn't got a badge and even management are taking our leaflets. It's a really good atmosphere."
In Gosforth there was lots of support from permanent BT staff for their agency colleagues. Ben Shaftoe, assistant branch secretary for Tyne and Wear Clerical, explained: "People are very positive and they're really up for the campaign on equal pay. We've got 90 signatures and 90 letters from a mixture of BT and agency staff. We've had lots of support from BT members who think their agency colleagues should receive equal pay."
Campaigners in Glasgow (below left) say that the information they have given out to agency workers this morning has been well received, despite the chilly conditions.
As a result of the campaign CWU has signed up new agency worker members and is hoping to shame agencies and companies from using PBA contracts.
For live updates follow @CWUnews on Twitter, tag your tweets and twitpics with #agencyloophole and check out the CWU Facebook group for photos and information.
For details on where and when demonstrations are taking place around the country visit our dedicated webpage: Agency Action Day - Closing the Loopholes.