Safeway Contractors Ends ‘Pay To be Paid’ Culture For Its Temporary Staff

In a move that is thought to be one of the first of its kind, Safeway Contractors, a leading provider of specialist rail, engineering and construction services has announced that its temporary workers will no longer have to pay an umbrella company for payroll services, as they will now pay these fees on their behalf.

Working alongside the payroll and accountancy services Walker Smith, the Manchester-based company will put an end to the ‘paying to be paid’ culture which will see each temporary worker up to £30 better off per week.

Safeway supplies highly skilled workers who help deliver a variety of projects as either a contingent labour supplier or by sub-contracting part or all of the project. Depending on the size of the projects, it can engage anywhere between 50 and 100 workers on a temporary basis for rail, engineering or construction projects across the UK. What this agreement will provide to Safeway’s temporary workers is free access to Walker Smith’s contractor benefits package which includes payroll services, holiday pay, maternity and paternity benefits, healthcare cover, a 24-hour GP consultant service and high street discounts.

Safeway has also added the Walker Smith’s dedicated support line to help give temporary workers free access to helplines 24/7. It was important to ensure that the temporary workers have access to the services that can help support their wellbeing as some of the locations and hours rail engineers work can have an impact on their wellbeing.

Paul Walpole, the director of Safeway Contractors said:

“We are delighted to be spear-heading this new initiative in our sector which will see our temporary workers significantly better off each week.

“Paying for a service just to get paid is like an additional tax on temporary workers, and it can hit the pocket hard, especially for those who don’t have a fixed, regular income.

“We’re the first firm in our sector to do this and obviously, our workers are delighted at the news. We will be paying Walker Smith directly to take care of payroll and provide an attractive benefits package.”

“We really hope other businesses follow our lead and champion the welfare of their workforce. No-one working on a temporary contract should have to pay to be paid.”

The managing director of Walker Smith, Matt Tyson said:

“Temporary workers often get a raw deal when it come to pay and benefits, so it’s brilliant to see Safeway Contractors put in place an initiative that will see its workers take home pay increase.

“Being chosen to support Safeway Contractors with this initiative demonstrates the quality of services we’re aiming to build for temporary staff under our WORKR brand. We expect to see more firms who regularly engage a temporary workforce follow suit and put the welfare of their workers first.”