Many agency workers experience poor treatment, do not know their rights and that they have a legal right to be given the same pay and conditions as the permanent staff, according to survey commissioned by the TUC from YouGov.

It found that 64% agree that the law should make it illegal for an employer to pay agency workers less than permanent staff for doing the same job, 28% said they feel confident that they know their rights. More than half don't have the same holiday rights as permanent staff and 61% say that they don't have the same sick pay rights as permanent staff.

The research found that 28% say that they have had to change their agency. One in two say that neither the agency nor the employer have provided them with training that helps their career.

The problems are even more acute for those on the minimum wage, with 37% of minimum wage earners say that their agency has always treated them fairly, and 35% say they have changed agency.

The poll confirms that temporary agency work suits many workers, with 27% saying that they prefer agency work and 9% saying they do temporary work because they can't or don't want to work permanently.

TUC general Secretary Brendan Barber (pictured) says: “The government should start with licensing for all employment agencies - not just those covered by gangmaster rules - and guarantee equal rights for agency workers to the permanent staff they work alongside. This won't stop responsible employers using staff from responsible agencies, but it will end the temptation for bad employers to use agency staff to get round their legal obligations to permanent employees.”

They survey has been published in the run up to the closing date for responses to a government consultation on whether vulnerable agency workers need more protection.