date: Monday 18 February 2002 embargo: immediate

Attention: Industrial, political and legal correspondents

TUC welcomes proposed EU Directive on temps

Although the EU Commission has not yet issued a draft text for a new EU Directive, the TUC welcomes the proposals for the introduction of new laws providing temporary agency for rights to equal treatment for temporary agency workers.

TUC General Secretary John Monks said

'The TUC welcomes any proposals that grant new rights to temporary agency workers to ensure that they are equally treated compared with those doing the same job."

"Temporary workers in the UK not only face substantial job insecurity but they also often receive far less favourable treatment than those they work alongside. Lack of access to training results in lower skills while lower pay damages the motivation and inevitably leads to lower productivity. Unequal treatment for temporary workers is as bad for business as it is unfair to workers themselves."

Notes to Editors:

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Press release (300 words) issued 18 Feb 2002