Agency Workers Directive 'A Major Step Forward'
10 Jun 2008
Congress has warmly welcomed as a "major step forward" the approval in the early hours of this morning (June 10) of a new Directive on Agency Workers, at the EU Council of Social Affairs Ministers.
The Directive is based on the equality of treatment principle which means that a worker placed in a company by an employment agency must be given the same pay and conditions as if he/she had been recruited directly by that company.
"This is a very good development and a major step forward for a very exploited section of the workforce. We have been campaigning for several years with the TUC in Britain and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) to get this Directive through, in the teeth of fierce opposition from employers" said David Begg, the General Secretary of Congress.
Congress had already characterised the issue of Agency Workers as a potential 'deal breaker, in relation to ongoing social partnership talks and had pointed out that some employers were utilising Agency workers to pay lower wages and worsen conditions.
According to Mr Begg, "the initiative has now been four years in gestation and had been held up by a blocking minority of countries - which included Ireland and the UK. The Directive still has to be approved by the European Parliament which has co-decision powers with the Council. However, we do not believe it will encounter any problems in that forum," Mr Begg said.
When the Directive is signed off by the Parliament it must be transposed into domestic legislation in each EU country. A time limit of two years will apply to this process. Mr Begg warned the Irish government not to drag its heels in putting through the required legislation.
"Irish governments have developed into an art form delaying or slowing the transposition of EU Directives. Having already blocked this Directive for four years any further delay would be unacceptable," said Mr Begg. He also noted that if the matter had been left to the Irish government to deal with Agency workers would never have secured any protection here:
"This reminds us," he said, "that many worthwhile pieces of social legislation we have gained in this country over the last 30 years have originated in Europe. It is one very good reason why Irish workers should vote yes in the Lisbon Referendum."
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