The Gabem Umbrella Companies Blog:
Home of Umbrella Company Gossip Online
31st July 2009: The Agency Workers Directive and some updates
Well this week we started Gabem's Twitter account (@GabemUmbrella), so far we haven't been particularly talkative, but that will change as we get more of a feel for it and what we want to accomplish with it. If you have any ideas or opinions on what you'd like us to do with it (keep it clean) get in touch.
Susan has taken pity on me and has very kindly rewritten Gabem's "About Us" page which if you are interested you can read here. I have to say I really like it, Susan is a much better writer than me (as you may have noticed) and I think she's summed up our history and captured the culture here in the building admirably. So thank you very much Susan!
With the consultation on "The Agency Workers Directive" ending today, there have been a lot of stories about it appearing in the recruitment press. Lots of writers seem to be getting their knickers in a twist over it. Don't get me wrong, this is potentially knicker twisting stuff, but everyone has had a long time to mull things over, submit their answer of the consultation and plan for the worst. Now it's just a matter of waiting.
It's clear what everyone involved in the recruitment industry would like to realistically see (unrealistically I think we would all like to see it disappear completely, but that's not going to happen), and that is either an exemption based on rate of pay or a period longer than the proposed 12 weeks specified by the legislation. I don't think anyone is arguing that some workers need better protection, but here in the UK contracting is often a choice, and it can be a very profitable choice.
I can't help but think that with the economy the way it is, we need a flexible workforce that is able to work for longer than just a 12 week contract, which is all anyone will be offering.
Unfortunately it's now all out of our hands, we've all done our bit, for better or worse, and it's now up to the government to make their decision. It's simply time to knuckle down and keep your fingers crossed.
Hugo
31/07/2009
