21st February 2008
Temps bill will cost business, says CBI
Vulnerable workers would not benefit from new rules on temporary agency work, but 250,000 jobs would be put at risk and the UK would lose a vital competitive edge, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) warned today.
It said that agency workers are already adequately protected under existing laws and that the government ought to focus on "proper enforcement".
"Very few temporary workers qualify as vulnerable and even fewer are exploited," said John Cridland, the CBI's deputy director-general. "Around half choose temporary work over a permanent job, and many are well paid. All are protected by rights covering working time, paid holiday, minimum wage, discrimination and health and safety."
The CBI's comments come ahead of the second reading of Andrew Miller’s Private Members Bill on temporary agency workers on 22 February, which proposes equal pay and rights for temps from their first day in the job.
"My bill is not aimed at those agencies who run a reputable operation but at rogue agencies who exploit both indigenous and migrant workers, undermining their terms and conditions and in some cases, operating what can only be described as a 'Dickensian' setup," said the Labour MP on his website.
Earlier this week a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed that employers are divided on agency workers' rights.
The report showed 21% in favour of equal rights from day one, 2% in favour of rights within the first six weeks, and 26% in favour of equal rights only after a year of service. 27% insisted that agency workers should never have equal rights.
It said that agency workers are already adequately protected under existing laws and that the government ought to focus on "proper enforcement".
"Very few temporary workers qualify as vulnerable and even fewer are exploited," said John Cridland, the CBI's deputy director-general. "Around half choose temporary work over a permanent job, and many are well paid. All are protected by rights covering working time, paid holiday, minimum wage, discrimination and health and safety."
The CBI's comments come ahead of the second reading of Andrew Miller’s Private Members Bill on temporary agency workers on 22 February, which proposes equal pay and rights for temps from their first day in the job.
"My bill is not aimed at those agencies who run a reputable operation but at rogue agencies who exploit both indigenous and migrant workers, undermining their terms and conditions and in some cases, operating what can only be described as a 'Dickensian' setup," said the Labour MP on his website.
Earlier this week a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed that employers are divided on agency workers' rights.
The report showed 21% in favour of equal rights from day one, 2% in favour of rights within the first six weeks, and 26% in favour of equal rights only after a year of service. 27% insisted that agency workers should never have equal rights.
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