News from the Institute of Employment Rights-

Agency Workers: Social Justice Long Overdue: a seminar
Monday 21st April 2008 

I would be grateful if you could distribute this message to colleagues, 
activists, networks and members. Please find full notice below and weblink 
where you can book places here:

http://www.ier.org.uk/node/246


If you would prefer hard copies of the flier or have any queries concerning 
the seminar, please contact me at the details below.

Best wishes
Phelim

 
Agency Workers: Social Justice Long Overdue

A seminar

Monday 21st April 2008

1:30- 4:15pm at the UCU Conference Centre, Britannia Street, London WC1

Organised by the Institute of Employment Rights

When Andrew Miller’s Temporary and Agency Workers (Prevention of Less 
Favourable Treatment) passed its second reading in the House of Commons on 
22nd February the long promised and much needed statutory protection for 
agency workers came a step closer.

 

Under considerable pressure from unions, 147 MPs stayed in parliament to 
hear the arguments for the Bill, the original proposals for which emanated 
from the 2002 Temporary Agency Workers Directive. Since then all such 
proposals have been systematically blocked by UK governments, most recently 
in December 2007.

 

The need to ensure equal treatment for 1.4 million agency workers has been 
a big issue for trade unions and first featured in the Warwick Agreement of 
2004. This seminar will examine the main issues surrounding the debate:

• How do we nail the myths put forward by the CBI and show that this 
legislation is necessary for social justice?

• It is expected that the French will push through an EU Temporary Agency 
Workers Directive later in the year. Will such a Directive provide 
sufficiently robust legislation to protect temporary and agency workers and 
how will it impact on any Bill agreed in the UK?

• If the proposed Bain Commission gets a green light, how can we ensure 
trade union concerns are heard?

 

The event brings together an excellent platform of speakers including: 
Andrew Miller MP who introduced the Private Members Bill; Jack Dromey, 
Deputy General Secretary of T&G section of Unite and Michael Wynn of 
Kingston University who has examined recent leading case law.

Programme

1:30      registration

1:50      Introduction from Chair, Carolyn Jones, Director IER

2:00 The Temporary and Agency Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable 
Treatment) Bill: from Warwick to Parliament Andrew Miller MP

2:30 Social Justice Long Overdue: Agency workers- Voices from the shop 
floor Jack Dromey

3:00      Tea and coffee

3:15      Agency workers: recent developments in case law Michael Wynn


Speakers

 

Jack Dromey is the Deputy General Secretary of the T&G section of Unite

Carolyn Jones has been Director of the Institute of Employment Rights since 
its inception in 1989

Andrew Mill is MP for Ellesmere Port & Neston

Michael Wynn is Principal Lecturer in the Law School at Kingston University 
with particular interest in agency and migrant workers.

 

Who should attend

The seminar will be of great interest to trade unionists, employment 
lawyers, personnel specialists, academics and students and those concerned 
with the development of public policy.

 

How to book

To reserve your place, complete the form below and send your cheque, made 
payable to IER, to Institute of Employment Rights, The People’s Centre, 
50-54 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5SD.

Tel 0151 702 6925; fax 0151 702 6935; [log in to unmask]

 

CPD, NPP and EPP accreditation

This seminar counts for credit hours under the Law Society’s Continuing

Development Scheme and the General Council of the Bar’s New

Practitioners’ Programme and Established Practitioners’ Programme.

 

Additional Information

Details of nearby hotels are available from the office. Name changes are 
accepted up until the time of the event. Delegates who advise IER of their 
cancellation more than 15 working days in advance will receive a credit 
note with 10% deduction for administration.

 

How to get there

Nearest stations are: Kings Cross and St Pancras (tube and British Rail)

 

Cost

IER subscribers and members £45.00

Trade unions £60.00

Commercial £120.00

 

Booking form

Please reserve places at the Agency Workers: Social Justice Long Overdue 
seminar

at £

Name

Address

email

Organisation

Please invoice me/I enclose a cheque for £

 

 

 

 

Phelim Mac Cafferty
Projects and Events Officer
Institute of Employment Rights
179 Preston Road
Brighton East Sussex
BN1 6AG
t: 01273 330819
e: [log in to unmask]
www.ier.org.uk