Note for all public sector temps this xmas re: pay!

Hey all,

I work for a local council now as a permanent, but last year I was temping. While temping I told my manager that as I wanted to work in the 3 days between xmas and new year that perm staff have off as forced annual leave - but couldn't since the offices were closed - I should be paid for it.

I pretty much presented it to her as an expectation - I'd already filled in my time sheet, so she agreed with me and I got paid. I tried to tell lots of other temps about this and got in touch with a union guy about letting others know. The union guy told me in one dept all temps got paid for 2 days, but after that I didn't hear any more from him.

This year I'm permanent and have been trying to get all temps to get paid for their time off (not only's it good for them, but the more expensive temps are the more likely the council will use permanent staff instead). I've found out that as well as that one dept where everyone got 2 days, and the dept where I and the others I told about it got 3, a temp I told about this in one team is getting paid for 4 days!

So anyone who is a temp for a public sector organisation, you should tell your manager temps for other councils are getting paid (you can PM me and I'll tell you which one), or if you work with temps tell them and support them asking for their pay. It's shit being a temp at christmas, not getting paid time off and having to spend loads.

If you work for a different body like a Uni or NHS, you could always just say temps at some other place got paid, and make it up.

If anyone does this please let me know how it goes. In my current dept managers originally said No, before I told people other temps were paid so we'll see after the break if they changed their minds...

I'm still on probation so not making a big fuss right now, but I think for next year it's worth having some sort of campaign around this, because it should be winnable, and would make a big difference to temps at a hard time of year.

Right well good luck!