There are between half a million
And a million agency workers in the UK
For many like Joanna
It's a life-style choice
As a temp I'm not completely tied down
By any real responsibility
So it may allow me to choose
Either temp work or even choose to be
A permanent personnel as well
Or within the same company
The UK has one of the most
Flexible labor markets in the world
Mainly thanks to agency workers
But right now the law doesn't give them
Very much protections and that's
Why Europe has introduced to
New proposals that would change all that
The question is
What is the price that those individuals
Have to pay for those opportunities
Lack of employment rights
Job insecurity often economic insecurity
People find it very difficult to plan
For the future to have access to mortgages
If they're an agency worker
We believe that they deserve
A bit more protection
A better framework of rights
The EU directive proposes to
Put agency workers in temporary work
On a par with permanent employees
On issues such as pay
Working time and holidays
But it could leave companies
Picking up hefty bills
Our survey also demonstrates that
Employers are concerned because
Staffing costs are going to go up
They can't afford to pay more workers
They are likely to reduce
The size of their workforce
We could see unemployment
We're likely to see greater
Economic-uncertainty as a result of
Jobs lost through the directive
If this directive is approved
It'll still take at least a year
Before it's law here in the UK
But if it does go ahead
One worry is that more employers
Will be put off using agency staff
Leaving British business with
A far less flexible workforce
Marcia Hughes
BBC News
