SLAVERY in the 21st Century.

Temporary workers, treated abominably, used and discarded by so-called family-orientated factories of the North-East.

Forced to do overtime; if you don’t, the commitment is not there and you face dismissal; don’t complain, or you face dismissal; don’t go to the union, or you face dismissal.

But you still need to feed your family, pay your mortgage and bills. You can’t leave of your own accord because then you won’t even get any help from the DHSS.

When they do finally dismiss you, lay you off after you’ve been bullied, violated, reduced to an emotional wreck, you can’t do a damn thing about it because you are only a temporary worker and this is the get-out clause to factories to treat hard-working people like something the dog has done in the garden and they’ve stepped in.

No legal rights, I’m told – after years of loyal service, going without sleep because you can’t get childcare on a weekend and, as a mother, I’ve just done a 12- hour nightshift and another to look forward to that night, after I’ve stayed up all day with the bairns.

Is something going to be done about this appalling condition that honest, hard-working people have to endure to escape the stigma of being a dole waller?

Name supplied, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham.