Six traffic wardens working for the private company running Islington Council’s parking enforcement service have been summarily dismissed after being found sheltering from a heavy downpour in a cafe. A group of managers entered the cafe and the workers were immediately carpeted and sacked. .
The company had traced their whereabouts via the workers’ hand-held electronic devices, which allow the employers to track workers’ movements every minute of the working day. This is a shocking abuse of power which would not be tolerated by a unionised workforce.
All new workers employed by the company since the service was transferred to the private sector are on temporary contracts, which may or may not be renewed, depending on ‘performance’ –that is, their ability to reach targets for issuing tickets, targets which all private parking contractors consistently deny the existence of. The workers have negligible employment rights and no protection against dismissal.
It is nothing short of a disgrace that, after thirteen years of Labour government, no changes have been made to employment law to protect temporary workers against unscrupulous employers. It is surely time for the unions to seriously grasp the nettle.
