The current draft of the EU Agency Workers Directive would act as a
deterrent to employers and force many temps to take up permanent jobs that they
don’t really want, it is claimed.
A draft directive has been passed by the European Parliament and was due
before the EU council of ministers today.
However, a study of temporary and permanent administrative staff shows that
temps generally work short contracts through choice and don’t want permanent
jobs.
The survey of 1,800 staff shows that 80 per cent choose to work as temps
because of the flexibility it offers, while 53 per cent enjoy the variety of
roles.
The current draft of the directive means that agency staff must have equal
conditions to permanent staff from the first day of employment.
Steve Carter, managing director at Office Team, who carried out the
research, said he feared the draft could decimate the temporary jobs market.
"We understand the motivations behind the directive and support any
initiative that improves working conditions. However, the guidelines threaten
to act as a deterrent to employers, which could restrict the job market for
temps," he said.
Letter to Tony Blair
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The Engineering Employers Federation
and a number of major companies including IBM, M.W. Kellogg Limited, Siemens
and Smiths Group Plc, have written to the Prime Minister outlining their
concerns over the draft agency workers directive.
To view a copy of this letter go to www.personneltoday.com/pt_news/news_daily_det.asp?liArticleID=16342
