Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA), the UK’s leading membership body dedicated to raising standards and promoting compliance in the temporary labour market, has released its response to the government consultation on creating a modern framework for industrial relations. This consultation seeks to balance workers’ rights with the need for flexibility in the UK labour market.
Protecting Flexible Workers While Supporting Industrial Action
FCSA’s response highlights the unique challenges faced by temporary and agency workers in industrial relations. While FCSA supports the right to industrial action as a last resort when pay and conditions are subpar, it also emphasises the need to preserve the flexibility that many temporary workers, such as freelancers and contractors, rely on.
Temporary workers, comprising over 1.5 million members of the UK workforce, often enjoy flexibility that permanent roles cannot offer. FCSA underscores the importance of considering this workforce segment in any proposed changes to industrial relations, particularly since many temporary workers are not unionised due to the transient nature of their assignments.
Clarifying the Role of Umbrella Companies
FCSA clarifies that umbrella companies, which legally employ temporary workers, do not set pay or conditions—this responsibility lies with end clients. The association calls for greater transparency and improved communication within the supply chain to ensure temporary workers benefit from negotiated improvements in employment packages under the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR).
Key Recommendations
Recommendations include:
- Ensuring that the role of temporary and agency workers is factored into industrial relations reforms.
- Strengthening communication requirements between end clients, employment businesses, and umbrella companies to address fractured communication chains.
- Recognising the importance of preserving flexibility in the temporary workforce while protecting worker rights.
Commitment to Compliance and Worker Support
FCSA continues to work closely with the government and stakeholders to ensure that any regulatory changes benefit workers, end clients, and the supply chain. As a representative of over 70 accredited members employing more than 210,000 workers, FCSA remains at the forefront of efforts to promote compliance and support a modern, fair labour market.
