GSD Supports Demonstration

GSD supports demonstration

The GSD fully supports the decision of Unite the Union (supported by the other Unions) to hold a demonstration against the exploitation and misuse of supply and agency workers together with the lack of proper apprenticeships.  The GSD has been drawing attention to these issues in and out of Parliament, since well before the last election and we call on our members and the public at large to support the demonstration which will be held at Casemates at 3.30 pm on Wednesday 16 January 2019.  

GSD MP Daniel Feetham said “The time has come for the community as a whole to take a stand against these exploitative practices.  Every Government for decades has used supply workers to cover for genuine short term absences. Only this Government has decided to run large parts of the public service on cheap labour on the backs of agency workers. It is important that as a community we send a clear message that we will not stand idly by while people, most of whom are youngsters, are forced to work  on the minimum wage (some for years) with little or no leave entitlement while recruitment agencies are milking it at the expense of the taxpayer. Enough is enough and the Government has to intervene to protect workers from the scourge of labour abuses such as zero hours contracts.  Gibraltar is a generous and fair community. We cannot continue to tolerate exploitation of this sort.

The organisers, Unite the Union, have asked that politicians themselves should not attend the demonstration and we certainly respect that request. Those attending and organisers should know however that the GSD remains committed to addressing the issues of agency workers as we have repeatedly statedfor many years.”