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More safeguards needed in temp worker directive to protect jobs, says REC

The REC has responded to yesterday’s agreement on the Agency Workers Agreement saying it marks a significant change for the UK temping industry.

Kevin Green, the REC’s Chief Executive commented: “It’s all very well the CBI and TUC forming a deal on behalf of employers and workers but this directive will have the biggest impact on recruiters who will have to make it work for all in practice.


"At this stage, it is too early to gauge its exact impact and we will be working hard to ensure that when this directive is implemented in the UK, it does not have a negative impact on the provision of temporary workers.”

Yesterday’s agreement will allow for the deal between the CBI and the TUC to give temporary workers the right to the same rate of pay as an equivalent permanent worker after 12 weeks.

Kevin Green continues: “Temporary workers make a £23 billion contribution to the economy and provide businesses across the UK with a flexible workforce and they should be rewarded for this. The last thing anyone wants is a bureaucratic and costly system for defining the correct pay rate for a temp.”

The UK recruitment industry places 1.3 million people into temporary jobs every week. Temping provides easy access to work and for many provides the flexible working lifestyle that they need. The REC regularly surveys the views of temporary workers and finds that 84 per cent are satisfied with their assignments.

The directive will now return to the European Parliament for a second reading before it becomes law.