Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsRecruitment & retentionTemporary employment

Andrew Miller MP calls on HR to rethink long-term agency contracts

by Mike Berry 18 Feb 2008
by Mike Berry 18 Feb 2008

The MP backing a controversial Bill that would give extra rights to agency workers has urged HR professionals to seriously consider whether using such workers on long-term contracts is really in the best interests of their organisation.

The Temporary and Agency Workers (Equal Treatment) Bill, sponsored by Labour MP Andrew Miller, is due to receive its crucial second reading in Parliament on Friday (22 February).

Miller’s Bill would give agency workers the right to the same terms and conditions as permanent or directly employed staff, such as equal pay, pensions and training entitlements.

More than 100 MPs are expected to attend the debate, heaping more pressure on the government to introduce new legislation.

Employer groups have been unanimous in the view that new laws are not required, as they would diminish labour market flexibility, and put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk.

But speaking to Personnel Today, Miller said this argument did not stack up.

“The CBI’s job-loss claim is a complete myth. [The group] said the same thing about the introduction of the National Minimum Wage and its effect on jobs.”

Miller insisted his Bill was not intended to stop organisations taking on agency workers, but to create a level playing field for them in employment. He called it “an obscenity” that long-standing agency workers were not entitled to equal treatment.

“In the interests of good workplace relations, I would urge HR directors to look at the basis on which they take on agency workers,” he said. “The relationship HR professionals build up with their employees needs to be one based on sound employment policies and the standards applied to the rest of the workforce.”

The government is thought to be trying to head off rising business concerns by setting up an independent commission to examine the issue. The commission would bring together employer groups and the TUC to thrash out the finer details, including the length of time in a job before any new rights were granted.

Unions want rights to equal treatment from day one of employment, while the CBI is insisting on at least six months. Miller’s Bill does not include a timeframe, but he indicated that a compromise of a six-week period might be appropriate.

Avatar
Mike Berry

previous post
House of Lords committee to re-open e-crime inquiry
next post
Be sure to renew your energy banks to keep creativity flowing

You may also like

Opposing critical race theory ruled a philosophical belief

29 Sep 2023

Meet Andrew, the chief executive – according to...

29 Sep 2023

How healthy are UK organisations’ talent strategies?

29 Sep 2023

Number of open roles in UK reaches three...

29 Sep 2023

BNP Paribas monitors staff office attendance

29 Sep 2023

NHS England implements fit and proper persons’ tests...

29 Sep 2023

Government creates new civil service tech apprenticeships

29 Sep 2023

Women at FTSE 100 firms won’t gain equality...

28 Sep 2023

Education doubts see UK sink in world talent...

28 Sep 2023

Prison Service launches TV recruitment campaign

28 Sep 2023

  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+