EMF welcomes agreement on temporary agency workers
- Strong resistance against proposals for Working Time Directive
The European Metalworkers’ Federation (EMF) welcomes the agreement reached by the Employment and Social Affairs Council on a revision of the Temporary Agency Work Directive.
“Granting temporary agency workers the same rights as permanent staff, for example when it comes to holiday and sick pay, is a step forward in European legislation. This must apply from day one on the job. Exceptions can only be tolerated for a limited period of vocational adjustment and it should be up to the social partners to define this period” says EMF General Secretary Peter Scherrer.
Equal treatment and equal pay for temporary agency workers are highly important demands in the EMF’s campaign against precarious work, especially since permanent jobs are being increasingly replaced by temporary agency work.
The EMF clearly rejects the compromise on the Working Time Directive. “This is a serious setback for a social Europe” explains Peter Scherrer.
The main points of criticism for the EMF are the opt-out on the maximum working time and the non-recognition of on-call duty. The European Court of Justice has ruled on the latter and clarified that on-call duty has to be treated as working time. The Council proposal effectively goes against this ruling.
The EMF demands an end to the individual opting-out, whereby employees and employers can agree on working times longer than 48 hours per week. Furthermore, the proposal seeks to extend the reference period for complying with the maximum weekly working time to 12 months. The EMF criticises this, believing that it undermines the protection of workers. On both points the position of the Council falls short of the demands expressed after the European Parliament’s first reading of the directive.
“Obviously the interests of European workers are far better represented by the European Parliament than by national governments. The EMF will continue its efforts to seek the help of the European Parliament to improve the current proposal” concludes Peter Scherrer.
Press 16/2008
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The EMF is the representative body defending the interests of workers in the European metal industry. The EMF has a mandate for the external representation and coordination of the metalworkers' unions and a mandate to engage in bargaining at European level.
For further information please contact:
Editor, Peter Scherrer, EMF General Secretary
