Queen’s Speech gives go-ahead for new law on agency workers
November 18, 2009 | Category: Campaign News
THE Government has given the go-ahead for a new law to protect agency workers in today’s Queen’s Speech.
It has confirmed that it is committed to legislating on the European Union’s Agency Workers Directive.
This follows a joint declaration signed by the TUC and CBI agreeing to a 12-week qualifying period for agency workers to be given equal treatment with permanent staff.
The Government says equal treatment means at least the basic working and employment conditions that would apply if the worker had been recruited to occupy the same job as a permanent member of staff. That means pay, holidays, overtime, breaks, rest periods, night work and duration of working time.
Even if a Bill is approved by the House of Commons before the next General Election, under European law implementation of the Directive is likely to be delayed to the very last minute - 31st December 2011.
