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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| EU 'temps' granted equal rights | EU 'temps' granted equal rights |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The European Parliament has approved a bill that gives agency workers the same employment rights as permanent staff. | The European Parliament has approved a bill that gives agency workers the same employment rights as permanent staff. |
| The so-called "temps" will now have the same guarantees in terms of pay, working hours, maternity and annual leave from the day they join a company. | The so-called "temps" will now have the same guarantees in terms of pay, working hours, maternity and annual leave from the day they join a company. |
| However, agency workers in Britain could enjoy the same rights only after 12 weeks, following an earlier deal between unions and employers. | However, agency workers in Britain could enjoy the same rights only after 12 weeks, following an earlier deal between unions and employers. |
| Critics warn the new bill will have a negative impact on small businesses. | Critics warn the new bill will have a negative impact on small businesses. |
| "On the brink of a recession, MEPs have done exactly the wrong thing: they've passed a law that will lead to fewer jobs and make life even harder for small businesses," Mats Persson of Britain's Open Europe research think-tank said. | |
| The original bill was tabled back in 2002. It would have given agency workers equal rights only after six weeks in the job. | The original bill was tabled back in 2002. It would have given agency workers equal rights only after six weeks in the job. |
| There are some eight million temps across the 27-member EU, about 1.4 million of them in the UK. | There are some eight million temps across the 27-member EU, about 1.4 million of them in the UK. |
| Hiring of them has boomed in recent years across Europe because of their flexibility compared with workers on permanent contracts. | Hiring of them has boomed in recent years across Europe because of their flexibility compared with workers on permanent contracts. |
| Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne described it as the "least-worst deal" for the UK. | Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne described it as the "least-worst deal" for the UK. |
| The UK already has an opt-out from the EU's 48-hour working week - a rule established by the working time directive. That directive undermines labour market flexibility, the UK government has argued. | The UK already has an opt-out from the EU's 48-hour working week - a rule established by the working time directive. That directive undermines labour market flexibility, the UK government has argued. |
| Ms Lynne said the UK government must ensure that the new directive on temps "is implemented in a way that recognises the concerns of employers and recruitment agencies and avoids adding unnecessary bureaucracy and cost to the provision of agency workers". | Ms Lynne said the UK government must ensure that the new directive on temps "is implemented in a way that recognises the concerns of employers and recruitment agencies and avoids adding unnecessary bureaucracy and cost to the provision of agency workers". |