ROYAL MAIL bosses should do more to give permanent contracts to agency workers, Communication Workers’ Union delegates agreed yesterday.

Delegates voting at the union conference have mandated their executive to “reach an appropriate agreement” with Royal Mail to convert temporary workers into employees with proper contracts.

One compelling reason given by delegates from the floor was the fear of the gig economy creeping into the structures of the postal industry.

Workers said that they have been alarmed by the rise in zero-hours contracts in Royal Mail and believe that this should be resisted.

Young member Clare Hardman said: “I put forward this motion because I am sick of agencies offering false hope to workers on agency contracts and dangling the carrot of false hope in front of them.

“These workers are treated appallingly and they need something stable — and need it now.

“When I started at Royal Mail I was a casual worker for a year, and that was stressful. But it is nothing compared to what agency workers go through.

“I was constantly looking for new work, and the day I was made permanent I had two other job interviews.

“We need to recognise that workers can no longer have the forbidding carrot dangled in front of them and they deserve the decent jobs we are lucky to have.”

Delegate Gary Clarke, supporting the motion, said: “We’ve gone toe to toe with managers to get people in permanent contracts, and I’m pleased to say we’ve been successful with several workers.

“What’s happening to agency workers now is that they can’t get mortgages, they can’t get loans, they can’t get on.

“It’s the gig economy creeping in at Royal Mail and we need to stop it.”

Moving the motion on behalf of the union’s national executive, Mahmoud Ali said: “Royal Mail thinks in today’s situation they need workers as an ultra-flexible pool of resources. However, you cannot solve today’s problems on yesterday’s logic.

“Agency workers are demeaned and demoralised on a daily basis. The terms and conditions they’re offered are truly appalling, and it has to change.”