The Commission this week formally launched the second stage of consultation with the social partners

Date: 18/04/1996

on conditions covering part-time and 'atypical' workers. The Commission says that replies from 22 organisations to its initial consultation document showed “widespread support for the basic guiding principle that employees in new types of flexible work should not be discriminated against”. Officials are optimistic that this could be the second issue on which the social dialogue yields a negotiated deal.