MEMBERS of Swindon People’s Assembly and the GMB will hold a demonstration outside Marks and Spencer today over pay for agency workers at the company’s distribution centre.

The M&S centre is run by Wincanton in Swindon, but most of the staff are employed by employment agency 24.7 Recruitment. They are then formally employed through a further company, called Tempay.

Workers employed through Tempay earn the minimum wage of £6.50 an hour compared to the £8.50 an hour paid to workers doing the same job but who are employed directly through Wincanton.

The demonstration will take place outside the town centre store between 11am and 1pm.

Kate Linnegar, of the Swindon People’s Assembly said: “Many agency workers in Swindon have been caught by this and are trapped on poverty wages. The effects are far reaching as we believe the Swindon economy is losing out on millions of pounds each year.

“We are calling on Marks and Spencer to do the right and ethical thing and not hide behind degrees of separation by using subcontractors.

GMB Branch president Chris Watts said: “We are calling on Marks and Spencer to address the pay inequalities between workers carrying out the same work on their behalf.”

A Marks & Spencer spokesman said: “All employees are employed directly or indirectly by Wincanton. We are aware of the issues raised by the GMB and are in close contact with our partner.”