The
Government has been warned not to cave in as it defends the interests of UK
employers in negotiating the proposed Agency Workers Directive.
Employers’
bodies are urging the Government to stick to its guns when the European Council
of Ministers debate the directive at a meeting on Thursday.
The
current proposals would force employers to give temporary workers the same
rights as full-time staff – a move which the CBI estimates could cost 300,000
temporary jobs.
David
Yeandle, deputy director of employment policy at the Engineering Employers’
Federation (EEF), is worried that other countries may want to vote early in a
bid to get the draft through.
“There
are still big political differences between the countries and a lot of the
drafting hasn’t been finalised. I’m writing to our counterparts in Europe
urging them not to push for anything yet because the draft isn’t in good enough
shape,” he said.
Yeandle
denied that the UK contingent was working on a compromise deal, dropping its
demands for a one-year qualification period to six months.
“We
still want a number of amendments so it doesn’t drive up costs or damage UK
competitiveness. We want a longer qualification period, 12 months ideally, with
sick pay and pensions to be excluded,” he added.
The
Recruitment and Employment Confederation said the UK was making progress in
Europe and warned against any negotiations that could damage the current
temporary work market.
