EU AGENCY WORKERS DIRECTIVE MUST BE AMENDED OR THE UK ECONOMY WILL SUFFER
05/12/07 | 17:05
David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
"The proposals in the Agency Workers Directive unfairly impact on the UK economy as we currently employ a third of all EU agency workers. The Directive also risks the established flexibility of our labour market, which has been a major factor driving job creation.
"Our position is that the derogation from the directive on pay should be extended from a proposed six weeks to twelve months. This is in line with other employment rights like unfair dismissal and ensures that an ongoing relationship between the agency worker and the end-user has been established.
"We urge the Slovenian Government, the next nation to hold the EU presidency, to consider the disastrous effects this Directive could have on job creation throughout the EU and the disproportionate impact it will have on the UK economy."
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT:NOTES TO EDITORS:The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is the National Voice of Local Business.
The BCC sits at the heart of a powerful nationwide network of Accredited Chambers of Commerce serving business across the UK, which employ over five million people.