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REC Agency Summit III – members make their views count

Just under 200 delegates attended the REC’s third Agency Summit yesterday.  This was the flagship event of National Temporary Workers Week and provided members with a chance to air their views about the possible impact the EU’s Agency Workers Directive could have on their businesses.

Their feedback at the Summit, all of which was recorded in a series of electronic votes, will be a key element of the REC’s response to the Government’s AWD public consultation that closes at the end of next month (July).

At the Summit’s close, 35% of the members indicated that the impact of the AWD would result in a significant reduction in the number of agency workers they placed. Another 26% said it would result in a very significant reduction with 25% saying the reduction would be moderate while another 11% believed there would be no reduction. 

When asked which of the provisions under the AWD they would find most difficult to administer, 47% of the members said bonuses linked to personal performance and 33% citing holiday pay. 

Most emphatic of all was the 98% who wanted the Directive to be implemented in October 2011, the latest date it could be introduced. 

 Members heard from a variety of key speakers including John Cridland, the CBI’s Deputy Director General who give the business perspective on the need to keep flexibility in the UK’s labour market.  

Representatives from the NHS and Local Government Employers along with the Engineering Employers Federation and legal experts offered both a public and private sector viewpoint on how it will impact on their use of agency staff and relationships with recruitment providers. 

Kevin Green, the REC’s Chief Executive, outlined the immediate plan of action following the Summit which included encouraging members to contact their MPs in order to discuss with them the possible outcomes the AWD will have on them. The Summit was the latest part of the REC’s ongoing campaign to influence the UK implementation of the Directive.

The REC has been leading this debate through the work through the Agency Work Commission as well as through the ongoing input of all members and the work of the Employment Policy Committee.

Other recent initiatives have included the establishment of a legal sub-group to the AWC and the hosting of an employer focus group to highlight the latest client perspective on the Directive. 

The REC will be issuing a full AWD briefing to members very shortly along with the next steps of the campaign in which they will be encouraged to participate.