The private member’s bill on equal treatment for agency workers failed to make it through its second reading in the House of Commons on Friday due to government opposition.
Introduced by MP Paul Farrelly and backed by unions including Amicus, the bill aimed to give equal treatment to agency workers and permanent employees from day one.
But it was heavily criticised by the recruitment agency industry which said it perpetuated myths about agency workers being systematically badly treated.
REC chief executive, Marcia Roberts said: “The basic premise that underpinned the bill – that temporary workers are systematically downtrodden and underpaid – is a startling misrepresentation.
“The negative treatment of temporary and flexible workers is not one that the recruitment industry or many temporary workers themselves recognise. In fact, recent research confirms that satisfaction levels amongst the vast majority of temporary workers remain high.”
Speaking in the House of Commons’ debate, Paul Farrelly said his bill aimed to create a more level playing field.
“The core of the bill is equal pay and treatment, with basic working conditions. The bill aims to achieve a better balance for some of our most vulnerable people and their hard-working families between so-called flexibility and pay, treatment, job security and basic human worth.”
Focus will now switch back to the European directive on agency work, which has been blocked in Brussels for the past five years.
Trade and industry minister Jim Fitzpatrick said the government had said it would support the directive but that one of the points still under discussion was the qualifying time from which agency workers would get equal treatment.
Roberts added: “It is more important than ever that the industry presents a strong and united lobbying front on both national and European levels. The REC is not opposed to the overall aims of the EU directive, but it is crucial to ensure that any new legislation does not have a negative impact on the UK labour market.”
Temporary and contract work is a small but vital element of the UK’s labour market accounting for between 4-5 per cent of the overall working population.
