Temporary Workers Directive not ideal but could have been much worse.

12.10.00pm GMT Wed 22nd Oct 2008

Liz Lynne MEP, the Vice- President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee has said that the vote today by the European Parliament adopting a report regulating rules on temporary agency workers is not ideal, but could have been much worse.

The report, which approves the deal made on temporary workers by EU Member States, is intended to give workers from temp agencies the same rights as permanent staff from day one, though the UK have secured an derogation so that this only applies after 12 weeks in a job.

Liz Lynne has long argued against one size fits all temporary worker legislation at EU level as there are many different traditions between the EU Member States. For instance, Greece only made temporary worker agencies legal a few years ago, where as the UK has a strong tradition of temporary agencies.

However Liz has said that the current deal is the best deal available to the UK.

Speaking after the vote Liz, who is shadow rapporteur of the Liberals and Democrats Group in the European Parliament on the issue, said:

"The UK Government agreed to back the temporary agency workers directive, but only in return for being allowed to retain it's opt out of the working time directive. It is vital this link is retained and that attempts by Labour MEPs and others to separate the two directives and end the UKs opt out of the European 48 hour week are fought tooth and nail by Gordon Brown."

Most temporary agencies and businesses say that the temp agency directive is just about livable with but the problem of the opt out in the Working Time Directive is crucial:

"Therefore, while I do not think that the measures within the report are by any means perfect, I do regard it as the least-worst deal for UK businesses and employees."

"We must now put pressure on the Government to ensure this directive is implemented in a way that recognises the concerns of employers and recruitment agencies and avoids adding unnecessary bureaucracy and cost to the provision of agency workers."

ENDS