The
Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), the industry body for the
private recruitment sector, said it is going to intensify its lobbying campaign
to ensure the Agency Workers Directive ‘doesn’t damage British business’.
At
the Labour Party Policy Conference in Warwick two weeks ago, the Government
said it would not block the directive, but the REC still wants changes.
In
the current draft of the directive, temporary workers will be entitled to equal
treatment after six weeks.
The
REC claims the directive would have a substantial impact on competitiveness and
jobs.
Tom
Hadley, director of external relations at the REC, said: "If we are going
to have a directive, then it must be one that doesn’t damage labour flexibility
and increases rather than reduces the opportunity for work.
"Britain’s
flexible labour market has brought massive economic benefits through high
employment, and the UK Government must continue to do everything possible to
ensure this flexibility is not eroded," he said. "At the same time,
the UK recruitment industry has to be pro-active in fighting its own corner,
which is why the REC is taking the initiative to contact other EU governments
directly’.
