There are no compulsions within the private sector to risk assess any prospective work environment. Recent local tragedy has sadly highlighted this. Within the public sector, the ES is obliged to visit each New Deal employer's premises to inspect health and safety before any placement goes ahead. Overall, the effect of private employment agencies is to promote casualization within the local labour market, undermining workers' conditions, rights and wages. Also, the will to monitor employers' adherence to equal opportunities is not present is private agencies.
Employers come first and agencies take a cut from workers' wage packets.
The ES, on the other hand, must police local businesses and report employers for discrimination, compiling national trends for analysis. Reed does not recognize a unions. There is no forum for dissent and the staff is not in a position to challenge this pure drive for placings. If voices are raised, they too join the dole queue. By contrast, union action within Jobcentres challenges Government policy and provides a base from which to lobby, and be lobbied, for change.