The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has joined forces with the British Chamber of Commerce and the British Hospitality Association on the Agency Workers Directive (AWD), ahead of the EUís Employment and Social Affairs Council meeting on October 4, which will discuss the draft Directive.
The REC, British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) and British Hospitality Association (BHA) support the overall aims of the Directive but agree that it is time to refocus the whole debate on the AWD in order to reflect the aims of the Lisbon Agenda on job creation and improving competitiveness.
The three organisations believe that the current draft of the Directive would result in companies using fewer temporary workers with no corresponding increase in permanent employment.
Gareth Osborne, Managing Director of the REC, said:
ìThe Recruitment Industry and our clients are working together to protect British industry. The only way to ensure that UK competitiveness is not adversely affected is for the Government to defend the flexibility of the UK labour market. The Government should be looking to enhance the provisions for temporary work across Europe - not allow the potential benefits for both job seekers and employers to be limited by EU legislation.î
David Frost, Director General at the BBC, said:
Temporary work is key to the flexibility of the UK labour market. If we are to make any progress towards the Lisbon objectives of making Europe the most dynamic and competitive economy in the world, labour markets need to be more flexible not less.
For further information, please contact the REC press office on: 020 7618 9106
UK business bodies join forces over Agency Workers Directive
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has joined forces with the British Chamber of Commerce and the British Hospitality Association on the Agency Workers Directive (AWD),
