On 22 February, a Private Members Bill concerning the rights of agency workers successfully went through its second reading in Parliament.
But with many MPs and business groups against the Bill it will face a tough battle at the committee stage, when each clause will face scrutiny from a cross party group.
The Temporary and Agency Workers (Equal Treatment) Bill 2007-08 is described as: “A Bill to provide for the protection of temporary and agency workers; to require the principle of equal treatment to be applied to temporary and agency workers; to make provision about the enforcement of rights of temporary and agency workers; and for connected purposes.” Click here [link http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/temporaryandagencyworkersequaltreatment.html] for more information.
Some unions, including Unite, are backing the Bill, claiming that current British employment law fails to protect the country’s 1.4 million agency workers.
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), however, asserts that: ‘Vulnerable workers would not benefit from complex new rules before Parliament on temporary agency work, but 250,000 jobs would be put at risk and the UK would lose a vital competitive edge.’
The British Retail Consortium also believes that the Bill should not be supported, as the organisation:
- ‘Understands agency workers already receive key employment protection.
- Believes the bill would deter employers from offering short term contract opportunities.
- Argues that the flexibility of the UK labour market could be undermined if legislation does not incorporate a reasonable qualifying period.’ (ePolitix.com Parliamentary Briefing, 21 February 2008)
The date for the Committees stage has not yet been set, but the debate looks set to continue between UK businesses and unions for the foreseeable future.
For further details visit:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2007-08/temporaryandagencyworkersequaltreatmenthttp://www.tgwu.org.ukhttp://www.cbi.org.ukhttp://www.epolitix.com
020 8663 6463
020 8663 1516
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