date: 22 October 2008

embargo: for immediate release

TUC welcomes new rights for agency workers

The TUC today (Wednesday) welcomed a new European Directive which will deliver equal treatment rights for agency workers after a 12-week qualifying period.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'This new Directive is the result of six years of committed campaigning by unions.

'Too many agency workers in the UK have faced unfair treatment and injustice, as our Commission on Vulnerable Employment highlighted earlier this year.

'Now agency workers will now finally have a fair deal and be entitled to the same pay as permanent staff doing the same job, and receive much stronger legal protection from exploitation.

'The passage into law of today's Directive means that opponents of more rights for temps have now lost, and the UK cannot now opt-out of better rights for agency workers.'

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
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Press release (300 words) issued 22 Oct 2008