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.
Showing posts with label CBI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBI. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Agency Workers - Recruiter
The following article comes from the Recruiter: -
Agency workers endure much lower levels of job quality and are paid less than permanent staff, according to a new report.
Conducted by academics at universities in Bradford, Leeds and Kent, the ‘Agency Working in the UK: What do we Know?’ study found that, on average, agency workers are paid £7.80 per hour contrasting with an average £11.47 for permanent workers.
Two out of three agency workers are employed in clerical, semi-skilled and unskilled occupations, while only one fifth are to be found in managerial and professional occupations.
Dr Gary Slater, senior lecturer in economics at the University of Bradford and co-author of the report, said: “The CBI has called for equal rights to be limited to agency workers with tenure of one year or more. Our study shows that almost three-quarters of agency workers would be excluded from coverage if such a restriction were to be put in place, which surely runs counter to the aims of the Bill [Andrew Miller’s Private Member’s Bill] to provide equal treatment.” Dr Chris Forde of Leeds University Business School and the report’s other co-author, added: “Agency working has grown in importance over recent years. Our figures, drawn from nationally representative data, provide a reliable basis for comparing the experience of agency workers with other groups in the labour market.”
G & G Recruitment acknowledges that in the clerical, semi-skilled and unskilled areas this report and the Agency Worker Directive may have a point. However, within professional and niche sectors, like IT and Information Management, the candidates often earn more and any move to give them equal rights with permanent employees would severely hamper the market and effectively ruin the job variety and experiences that temporary work gives these candidates. It would also hinder the economy as a whole as outside skills would not be sourced as often to come in and aid projects or departments. Temporary workers within these professional and niche markets are not only essential to their markets, the economy and the clients but, offer a great experience for candidates and a great earning potential.
Agency workers endure much lower levels of job quality and are paid less than permanent staff, according to a new report.
Conducted by academics at universities in Bradford, Leeds and Kent, the ‘Agency Working in the UK: What do we Know?’ study found that, on average, agency workers are paid £7.80 per hour contrasting with an average £11.47 for permanent workers.
Two out of three agency workers are employed in clerical, semi-skilled and unskilled occupations, while only one fifth are to be found in managerial and professional occupations.
Dr Gary Slater, senior lecturer in economics at the University of Bradford and co-author of the report, said: “The CBI has called for equal rights to be limited to agency workers with tenure of one year or more. Our study shows that almost three-quarters of agency workers would be excluded from coverage if such a restriction were to be put in place, which surely runs counter to the aims of the Bill [Andrew Miller’s Private Member’s Bill] to provide equal treatment.” Dr Chris Forde of Leeds University Business School and the report’s other co-author, added: “Agency working has grown in importance over recent years. Our figures, drawn from nationally representative data, provide a reliable basis for comparing the experience of agency workers with other groups in the labour market.”
G & G Recruitment acknowledges that in the clerical, semi-skilled and unskilled areas this report and the Agency Worker Directive may have a point. However, within professional and niche sectors, like IT and Information Management, the candidates often earn more and any move to give them equal rights with permanent employees would severely hamper the market and effectively ruin the job variety and experiences that temporary work gives these candidates. It would also hinder the economy as a whole as outside skills would not be sourced as often to come in and aid projects or departments. Temporary workers within these professional and niche markets are not only essential to their markets, the economy and the clients but, offer a great experience for candidates and a great earning potential.
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