Agency Workers Breaking News - Recruiter

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that new rules would be introduced to give agency workers "fair treatment" in his draft Queen's Speech this morning.
In announcing his wish list for new legislation, Brown said:

"We are committed to both flexibility and to fairness in the workplace and we will do nothing that jeopardises jobs and businesses taking on workers. But most people agree that it is not fair that, even after months in the job, agency workers can currently be paid less than the staff they work alongside --- and as a result permanent staff can feel they are being unfairly undercut. So My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business plans to bring forward legislation - subject to an agreement between employers and employees, and in Europe - that will for the first time ensure new rules for fair treatment of agency workers here in Britain."

It is the first time the government has publicly given its views on domestic legislation to protect agency workers, after abstaining during the votes on Andrew Miller's Private Member's Bill to offer temporary agency workers the same pay and conditions as permanent staff.

Tom Hadley, The Recruitment and Employment Confederation's director of external relations, said that the statement suggests there will be a swift move in the next Parliament to implement the European draft agency workers directive (AWD).

Hadley believes that there could be an agreement on the AWD at the 9 June Employment Council, or perhaps shortly after the French take over the presidency of the European Parliament in July.

Any agreement between ministers in the Employment Council would then have to go to the European Parliament for a second reading. If the Parliament accepts the position, with no amendments, it is possible that the final text of the AWD would be available around 6 months after agreement in Council.

"The REC has consistently held the view that the EU Directive holds more chance of a workable outcome than the Private Member's Bill on agency work that is current being debated in the House of Commons. The REC will be working with government, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and other stakeholders to ensure that this is the case,"
said Hadley.

In addition, the government is pushing forward with its planned Agency Work Commission. The commission would be made up of representatives from the Confederation of British Industry and the Trade Union Congress. The TUC has yet to confirm that they will sit on the commission, but it is thought that this is becoming more likely.

Hadley added: "If everything comes together the recruitment industry could see new legislation on the pay and conditions of agency workers by April 2010. The framework of the legislation will be the Directive. It is thought that the Agency Work Commission would be allowed, under the terms of the Directive, to set a derogation period after which equal treatment rights are implemented." *Article from Recruiter.

G & G Recruitment will be following the progress of this story closely.