London clears way for temporary workers' rights

Employment Commissioner Vladimír Špidla welcomed the agreement, calling it "a milestone for social dialogue in the UK and an important step towards fair treatment of agency workers both in the UK and in Europe". 

Špidla added: "I hope it paves the way to conclude an agreement on the EU Agency Workers Directive in the Council next month [...] Today's agreement between social partners will facilitate the negotiations in the Council. I am confident that the Slovenian Presidency will bring about an agreement at the next Employment Council. I will fully support the Presidency in its efforts."  

The Commissioner nevertheless criticised the twelve-week period before a temporary worker can benefit from equal treatment, expressing his hope that "this agreement is another step towards equal treatment of agency workers as of day one – unless social partners agree otherwise". 

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) General Secretary John Monks called the agreement "good news for millions of 'temps' in Europe, not just in the UK". He agreed that "it clears the way for a new EU directive, based on the principle of equal treatment from day one, with possibilities to derogate only by collective agreement or by agreement between the social partners at national level". 

The UK Government declared: "The Government will now engage with its European partners to seek agreement on the terms of the Agency Workers Directive that will enable this agreement to be brought into legal effect in the United Kingdom. The Government hopes that an EU agreement will be obtained in time for the necessary UK implementing legislation to be introduced in the next parliamentary session."

UK Business Secretary John Hutton announced the agreement by saying: "This is the right deal for Britain. Today's agreement achieves our twin objectives of flexibility for British employers and fairness for workers. It will give people a fair deal at work without putting their jobs at risk or cutting off a valuable route into employment." 

Small businesses were far less positive about the deal. Tina Sommer, EU and International Affairs Chairman with the UK Federation of Small Businesses  (FSB), warned: "This is a disastrous deal for small businesses, which rely on the flexibility provided by agency workers." She added: "Agency fees and high hourly rates mean temporary workers, far from being seen as cheap labour, are already a costly but useful way of responding to fluctuations in demand. If that flexibility is lost, many small businesses will stop using temporary employees." 

Sommer said: "Part of the reason for the UK’s relative economic success in the past decade has been the flexibility of its workforce. This deal could put all that at risk at the worst possible time. After month-on-month increases in unemployment and with economic growth at its lowest point since the last recession, this is the last thing small businesses need."