‘Temp’ agencies say EU rules cost jobs

Ahead of a meeting of EU employment ministers on 5 December, recruitment agencies are calling on member states to lift restrictions on the use of temporary workers.

A total of 570,000 extra jobs could be created if restrictions in countries such as France and Spain are lifted, says a report to be released next week (29 November) by the European Confederation of Private Employment Agencies (Ciett).

Ministers will discuss key dossiers at December’s meeting, including the stalled temporary workers’ directive, which is aimed at improving contractual terms for temps, and a paper on flexicurity, which sets out guidelines on balancing flexible labour markets with job security.

Ciett members such as Manpower and Randstad want to see restrictions lifted on the use of temporary workers in sectors such as construction and public services and more flexible contractual laws that would permit, for example, the renewal of temporary contracts. They also want to be allowed to perform a wider range of activities, including training and payroll management.

"If we don’t create more jobs, we’ll lose out on competitiveness," said Annemarie Muntz, president of Ciett. "In missing out on jobs, we’d be missing out on wages, taxes and social security payments. Countries would have to pay out more in unemployment benefits."

Catelene Passchier, confederal secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation, expressed fears about permanent workers being replaced by temps. "We do have doubts about claims of new jobs," she said. "When there is a proper regulatory frame-work which prevents the replacement of normal workers with agency workers, which is focused on providing stepping stones to proper employ-ment in proper social partnership conditions, then we’d be in favour."

Ministers will also try to break a three-year deadlock on working time rules. The UK’s opt out from the law is still controversial.

Ahead of a meeting of EU employment ministers on 5 December, recruitment agencies are calling on member states to lift restrictions on the use of temporary workers.