TUC calls for more rights for temps

The TUC has claimed that the "unregulated and fragmented" market in the UK has allowed recruitment agencies to exploit temporary workers.

The TUC believe that the market's ‘cowboy’ agencies – which undercut quality operators by paying the lowest possible rates – could be swept away by the EU Temporary Agency Workers Directive, which may be agreed by the EU Council of Ministers on June 2. The directive contains provisions to establish equal pay and basic employment rights for all agency workers.

The union congress has slammed the UK government and employers' groups for seeking to have these rights enforced only after an agency worker has been with an employer for a qualifying period. The TUC maintains that equal pay and basic rights should apply from the first day of employment.

The TUC say that there is no licensing requirement in the UK and no requirement to join a professional body that might enforce a code of best practice. The government estimates that about half the agencies eligible to join the main industry-wide body – the Recruitment Employers Confederation – do so.

'Agency work in Britain today’, a TUC report out next week, will argue that any qualifying period would leave the market open to sub-standard agencies and prevent quality agencies gaining a bigger share of the market.

The report argues, amongst other things, that the fragmentation of operators in the UK agency work market prevents shared best practice raising standards. In the UK, the top five temporary workers agencies have the lowest market share in Europe (15%). In Sweden, France, Belgium and the Netherlands the top five’s share of the temporary agency work market is from around 70% to 85%.

Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary Elect, said: "The lack of employment protections for agency workers in the UK is allowing ‘cowboy’ agencies to exploit vulnerable workers and undercut agencies that offer decent pay and protections.

"The UK economy and workforce needs a smaller number of agencies with these agencies sharing quality practices underpinned by legal minimums."

On Friday 30 May the TUC is organising ‘Working on the edge’, a conference on the issues facing atypical or casual workers.

(GMcG)