Temporary workers do not feel under-valued or under-paid and do not need more legislation to protect them, Tony Blair was told this week.
The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) took the views and concerns of the UK temporary workforce direct to 10 Downing Street, insisting that temps value flexibility, opportunity and employability.
The REC said temps were alarmed about possible EU regulations that would jeopardise the viability of temporary work in the UK.
REC managing director, Gareth Osborne, said: “Temporary workers are sick of being patronised and portrayed as systematically under-valued and under-paid. The first-hand accounts we have confirms that flexible working is increasingly valued.”
At last week’s TUC Congress in Brighton, trade union leaders demanded increased employment regulation to protect temporary staff.
But Osborne said that showed no regard for the impact any new laws could have on individual choice and employment opportunities.
“Our research shows there is a valuable pool of highly-skilled temporary workers who play a vital role in making the UK economy one of the strongest in Europe,” he said. “We urge the Government to remain strong in resisting attempts to impose the kind of legislation that would damage this.”
New REC research, based on a survey of 2,500 temporary workers, shows that:
84% believe that temping gives them independence and control over their own destiny
86% believe temping gives them invaluable experience and the opportunity to learn more things
81% believe temping gives them the opportunity to work when they want to and the security of having work available when needed.
61% are not interested in joining a trade union
