Workers Rights
This section is for people coming to work in the UK from the European Union - particularly the new member countries. It gives information about your legal rights while you work here.
Employers deny you your rights for a mix of reasons. Sometimes it is because they don’t know what their responsibilities are. Sometimes it is because they have always managed to get away with it, but will back down if challenged. And sometimes it is because they rely on fear and exploitation to make their profits. Bad employers do victimise staff who insist on their legal rights!
There is a legal remedy for all the rights described in the following links
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/basic_rights_at_work.htm http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/migrant_workers
AGENCY WORKERS - KNOW YOUR RIGHTS (April 1st 2009 - Multilingual Information) click here to learn more
TUC (Trade Union Congress) workers rights leaflets (see below)
The TUC's know your rights line provides support and advice to cover a wide range of employment rights information and can advise you on which union you should join by calling 0870 600 4882. Calls are charged at the UK national rate, and lines are open from 8am to 9pm.
The TUC publishes a leaflet ‘Know your Rights’ which is available to download http://www.tuc.org.uk/international in the following languages:
Czech English Estonian
French Hungarian Latvian
Lithuanian Polish Russian
Slovak Spanish
http://www.ucatt.org.uk/index.htm (Union of Construction & Allied Technical Trades)
ACAS HELP LINES
ACAS (The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) is a government-funded agency that promotes good relations in the workplace. It operates a national help line on 08457 474747 that can give free information on employment issues to both employees and employers. The ACAS website is at www.acas.org.uk
ADVICE AGENCIES
Law Centres provide a free and professional legal service to people who live or work in their catchment areas. The Law Centres Federation can tell you if there is a Law Centre near you. The number is 020 7387 8570, or visits their website at www.lawcentres.org.uk
The National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux can give you information about your local CAB at www.nacab.org.uk
WORKERS: HEALTH AND SAFTY
All workers, whether they are permanent staff, agency or contractors, need to be aware of issues that affect their health and safety at work.
These web pages are about helping workers become more aware of the health and safety issues that affect them and their responsibilities, so they can play their part in improving health and safety in the workplace. http://www.hse.gov.uk/workers/index.htm
