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Trade union group, the TUC, and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) say this plan is counter-productive, impractical and could prolong and inflame disputes
High Court
In June 2023, the Government was defeated in the High Court after it rushed through new laws that allowed agencies to supply employers with workers to fill in for those on strike.
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But despite this rebuke – and strong opposition from employers and unions – Ministers are resurrecting the plans.
Prolonged disputes
The joint statement from REC and the TUC warns the change could prolong disputes: “We both believe that using agency staff to cover strikes only prolongs and inflames the conflict between employers and their permanent staff.
“It also risks placing agency staff and recruitment businesses in the centre of often complicated and contentious disputes over which they have no control.
“Where a dispute occurs, the focus should instead be on negotiation and resolution to return to a normal service.”
Impractical
It also says the proposal is 'impractical': “The proposal is simply impractical. There are currently significant numbers of vacancies for temporary agency workers. This suggests that many can pick and choose the jobs they take and are unlikely to opt for roles that require them to undermine industrial action.
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"And it highlights the failure of Government to provide any robust evidence that the changes will benefit employers."
Neil Carberry, Chief Executive of the REC, said: “Agencies across the country have been clear that they do not want the law changed again.
“The ban on direct replacement of striking workers reflects global good practice and protects temps and agencies from being drawn into disputes that are nothing to do with them.
“Removal of the ban does nothing to resolve those disputes either. The REC was clear in 2022 that this is a step which only causes problems for businesses and workers in reality – however good politicians think it sounds.”
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: "The humiliating High Court defeat should have been the final nail in the coffin for these unworkable, shoddy plans to overturn the long-standing ban on agency workers filling in for striking workers.
“Now they are trying to resurrect the proposal despite strong opposition from unions and employers.
“It’s spiteful, cynical – and it won’t work.
“Bringing in agency staff to deliver important services in place of strikers risks worsening disputes and poisoning industrial relations.
“Agency recruitment bodies have repeatedly made clear they don’t want their staff to be put in the position where they have to cover strikes.
“It’s time for Ministers to listen and drop these plans for good.”
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Susie Hughes © Shout99 2024
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