Jenrick CPI has joined a lobby group with other ATSCo members and has been invited to the House of Commons to discuss, amongst other issues within the industry, the Temporary Workers Directive (TWD).

Sales Director, Philip Fanthom stated;

“It is vital for the future of our industry that we have some clarification on this issue from the government and we are really hoping that we come away with a far clearer understanding of the UK’s position from Andrew Miller MP and Jim Dowd MP.”

Under the expected EU deal, temporary workers will be entitled to the same rights as full-time staff after 12 weeks in a job. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has accused ministers of “damaging” Britain’s economy.

The FSB sent Mr Pat McFadden (British employment minister) a parcel of “spam sandwiches, warm ale and Brut aftershave”, marking the return to 1970s’ corporatism, to “fortify him” during talks.

John Wright, FSB chairman, said:

“This deal smacks of the 1970s when major decisions were made behind closed doors and trade unions dictated employment policy to the Government. We cannot take Britain back to those days.”

The use of “temps” has boomed - they are thought to number eight million - because casual agency workers offer business more flexibility than workers on more permanent contracts.

Some trade unions are angry that the EU deal will allow the possibility for employers to “opt-out” via national or workplace agreements between bosses and workers.

The GMB union has said it is worried that British officials have introduced new elements which would introduce “ambiguity” over entitlement to the right. The GMB has warned that it will try and block any deal that allows suspension of the new rights in workplace agreements where trade unions are not involved. A British official said:

“We hope the recent agreement between employers and unions in the UK will enable us to agree a directive in Europe.”

Economic impact

Katy Meves, from Schoosmiths, summarised the potential economic impact the TWD will have upon the UK economy;

“Despite the worthy social justice arguments in favour of passing the directive, any regulation making it more costly to employ agency workers is likely to have a negative economic impact as employers stop using them without replacing them with permanent employees.

The CBI estimates that 250,000 jobs would have been in jeopardy had the directive been agreed. Another casualty would have been the agency business sector itself.

The British government looks increasingly like King Canute trying in vain to hold back the tide of agency worker employment rights, which will, inevitably, flood the UK.

So while the UK is currently enjoying a brief reprieve, it seems the writing is on the wall for employers using temporary workers and the agency businesses themselves.

And with France having taken over the EU presidency in July 2008, there is no doubt that the issue of both the temporary agency workers directive and changes to the working time directive will be back on the agenda before long.”

Katy Meves, professional support lawyer, Shoosmiths

Tags: agency workers directive, atsco, changes to employment law, employment law, temporary workers directive, TWD

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at 10:37 am and is filed under Jenrick Group News, Jenrick IT, Job Market News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.