Government face rebellion on workers rights

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Over a million workers in the UK are employed via agencies and do not get benefits such as sick pay.

The bill, which was put forward by Labour MP Andrew Miller, is designed to give agency workers the same rights as permanent staff. Already around 130 Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs have said that they will support the bill.

Although backers of the legislation may be able to get the bill to the stage of having a second reading, it is likely that the bill will fail there unless it secures government backing.

Government ministers have said they would be willing to set up a commission with the aim of finding a compromise solution to the issue.

Outside of Parliament the bill has the backing of trade unions but has aroused the ire of business.

John Cridland, the deputy director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the bill was a "scattergun" approach and that more discussion was needed.

He said, "Rogue operators need to be dealt with. That's an issue of enforcement... coming down hard on people who give employers a bad name."

The CBI has also said that the bill could lead to job losses, make the workforce less flexible and reduce competitiveness in the UK.

However Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary of Unite union said, "Agency workers don't go into five different employers five days running. Typically they will work for the same employer for six, nine, 12, 18 months, or even two years, in poorer conditions of employment," reports the BBC.

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