With the Trade Unions intensifying their attack on agency work at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth, the Recruitment and Employment Confederationís External Relations team has been putting over the industry perspective there at meetings with Government Ministers.
Tom Hadley, Director of External Relations said: ìDespite the ongoing and often misinformed trade unions attacks it is extremely encouraging to see that the Government has taken on board the positive role that agency work plays in the modern economy.î
This point was re-affirmed by the Secretary of State for Business, John Hutton, in his speech to conference when he supported the need to ìcontinue to provide people with the choice that agency work can offerî. He also highlighted the work of the vulnerable workers enforcement forum - of which the REC is an active member -in stamping abuse of vulnerable workers.
Elsewhere at conference, the role for agencies in getting people into work was recognised by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain. The REC will be exploring opportunities for the recruitment industry in this area.
The Conference has highlighted what a political issue agency work has become. As a result, it is more important that ever that the industry comes together to address the negative portrayal of agency workers and to ensure that any future domestic or European laws do not have a negative impact on the recruitment industry.
REC at the Labour Party Conference
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