  Leaflet distributed at Standard Life  SUBSTANDARD WORKING LIFE? Financial institutions such as Standard This method of organising has become so much of a part of our day to day workplace life that it may seem strange that until the 1970's this would not have been tolerated by trade unions in the UK. The reason for this was that the unions understood how agency recruitment and temporary contracts have a negative impact on workplace rights and, until the 70's they were actually strong enough in most industries to prevent it. Nowadays the unions are weaker and therefore bosses can suit themselves to a much greater degree. They are taking full advantage of their new found freedom. If we want to understand how our workplaces are being manipulated to undermine pay and conditions and maximise profits we need to understand the effects of casualisation. We cannot STRESS this enough... Why is it that the UK has the highest levels of work related stress in Europe? Why do we work longer hours than anywhere else in Europe? Why do we do so much unpaid overtime (the TUC reckons that last year we did £23 billion worth)? The answer is that we feel insecure in our jobs and this is the most basic effect of casualisation and agency temping. There is now a dual job market, many organisations running with a core of full time permanent staff and a fluctuating pool of temps/contract workers. This serves to undermine any sense of solidarity between workers both by driving a wedge between permanent and temporary staff and by providing agencies as a buffer between bosses and workers. We are competing with one another and left feeling impotent in the face of diminishing conditions and the erosion of prospects for negotiating pay rises etc. There is so much pressure to impress the bosses and increase our prospects of keeping a job that many people are willing to "volunteer"and work extra for no pay. The bosses are tickled pink by this situation and managers and supervisors are encouraged to make the most of people's "flexibility".The mainstream trade unions have done very little to combat the effects of casualisation. The sum effect of all this in the average workplace has been to make us feel scared of making a fuss about pay, conditions and health and safety in case we are found surplus to requirements and "let go". To approach other workers about their feelings on such matters can itself be a dangerous move and so a lot of issues are rarely even discussed. The bosses are carefully constructing a paradise for exploiters. The Recruitment and Employers Confederation (REC) has lobbied the government to resist European initiatives on protecting workers, insisting that UK workers must be "flexible" and "competitive" (i.e. weak and vulnerable) and must therefore expect worse pay and conditions. Resistance is usefulIs there anything we can do about this situation? History shows that wherever there is injustice and exploitation people always find ways to fight back. Permanent and agency staff on the London underground, for example, have joined together to protect health and safety standards, showing how important it is not to accept the false divisions of a two-tier workforce. When we realise that we are all in the same boat we can stand together and make a real difference. This is not always easy but all over the UK, Europe and the world the resistance to exploitation is growing. In July the G8 leaders are meeting in Scotland to discuss ways of organising the exploitation of the worlds population. This is a good opportunity to raise a voice of resistance to job insecurityand the erosion of workers rights. People will be here from all over the world but there are plenty of locals involved as well. The media will say many things about the motives and tactics of the protesters but you can safely ignore most of that. The media is of course owned and controlled by the rich and powerful and pursues their interests. Some of the events in the G8 week will aim to highlight the effects of casualisation and encourage workers to find ways of fighting back. The "CARNIVAL FOR FULL ENJOYMENT" on July 4th from 12 noon at the West End of Princes St. is intended to encourage resistance to workplace exploitation/low-pay. There has been a lot of rubbish in the papers and from management about workers maybe being attacked. Please ignore these lies and try to come along. Why not take an extended lunchbreak. Better still throw a sicky all day and get some of your own back. Maybe see you there! Useful contactsIndustrial
Workers of the World (IWW), Edinburgh General Membership Branch, c/o 17 West
Montgomery Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5HA. http://www.iww.org.uk
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