REC enlists membersí help to counter threat posed to temp workers

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation, the trade association for the UKís private recruitment and staffing industry, is calling on its members to help in the fight against a forthcoming Parliamentary Bill which would add bureaucracy into the placement of temps into work.

All the RECís 14,000 corporate and individual members are being invited to become Recruitment Champions in spreading the message to their local MPs and other opinion-formers about the value of temporary workers.

The Bill to be debated on February 22 is being promoted by the Trades Unions who want to see the rights of temporary workers changed.

The REC has tirelessly promoted a strong and successful campaign to Government about the true nature of temporary work.

Tom Hadley, the RECís Director of External Relations said: ìTemporary workers are a valued part of our jobs market. Any new legislation should consider the real picture of temping today. The results of surveys carried out by our Industry Research Unit have constantly shown that 80 per cent of temporary workers are satisfied with their assignments and welcome the opportunities temping brings them.

ìOther research has demonstrated that the resources and flexibility that temps bring to businesses enables them to cover exceptional periods from taking the place of a worker on leave to assisting with the growth of a small business in taking it to the next level.î

He added: ìThe trade unions have persisted in promoting temp workers as systemically downtrodden and second class, but we know our members see a completely different picture.

ìTemping provides instant access to work and allows people to balance their work-life commitments and can also act as a stepping stone into employment especially for those furthest away from the jobs market. Any attempt to introduce more regulation of the sector should be balanced against the benefits that temping brings both workers and the economy at large.î

The REC is encouraging its members to get involved with the campaign by writing to their MPs. To enable members to do this, the REC website now includes a Recruitment Champions online network: