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STANDING UP FOR TEMPS
Page 66
Page 67
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The trade body for UK recruitment agencies has a dedicated group representing HGV driver agencies. Tim
Maughan reports.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is the UK recruiter's trade body — equivalent to the Freight Transport and the Road Haulage Associations. The REC has 13 divisions covering the major industrial sectors."We have childcare. IT and construction groups," saysTom Hadley, head of external affairs."We also have the Driver Sector Group."
This is music to our ears. HGV driver issues are often ignored by those outside the road transport business, but not by the REC."We will intervene if a member has a problem," Hadley explains. "We have our own lawyers who can help:1,000 calls from all types of recruitment companies are made to our legal helpline each month.We have had a lot of questions about immigration issues recently."
The Employment Agency Act came into force in April, he adds.This tightened up the recruitment process. Agencies had to sharpen up on health and safety issues — they had to be confident that personnel were placed within firms that did things by the book.
The sheer scale of the road transport industry explains the presence of the Driver Sector Group. Hadley says: "There is demand for it because there are a lot of agencies that supply drivers, and there is a shortage of drivers:The other main thing is that there is a genuine desire to enhance the profile of road transport recruitment companies."
Recruitment agencies in the transport sector are sometimes seen in a poor light, and Hadley points out that the REC polices its members: "We can reprimand or chuck people out. We are trying to up the ante."
Like estate agents, recruitment companies do not have to be licensed. So there is little in the way of quality control, unless the REC steps in and moves against its existing members. As with criminal HGV operators, poor recruitment agencies with low overheads have an unfair advantage over reputable firms. "As in other sectors, cowboys in road transport are devoid of any scruples," says Hadley. "They can charge less for their service.That's where there is resentment."
CM has repeatedly highlighted the largely untapped army of women who are fully capable of driving 44-tonners. He says it's about time that recruitment agencies took more notice of this potentially vast workforce.
Image is also important. It's true that agency drivers are often criticised, both by operators and by permanent drivers.This bad press is caused by a number of factors. Sometimes agency drivers are placed in the wrong job, and don't perform to the best of their abilities. Sometimes it's because it takes time to become comfortable with a firm's procedures. And sometimes people just don't like temps.
"It is not always easy to be a temporary worker, they can be an easy target," says Hadley."It's easy to blame the temp! .
The REC has two offices: in Mortimer Street, in the heart of London's West End, and in Woking. Surrey. REC personnel are spread across the UK. In all, the confederation has 6,000 members." We represent all types of agencies, from the massive Man-. powers of this world to the one or two-man hands," says Hadley.
He stresses that his trade association does not simply offer advice. Like the transport trade associations it analyses new legislation and fights on behalf of its members.
Take the EU AgencyWorkers Directive. If it became law, agency workers would be entitled to the same pay and conditions as permanent company staff. As honourable as this sounds, Hadley points out that it could cause problems.
The REC is contesting parts of the legislation. Picture an employee who has worked for the same company for 30 years.A temp shows his face, and automatically receives the same perks as the veteran. Hadley warns that this parity could cause animosity in a company.
Driver agency personnel spend their time placing staff; Hadley has to look at the wider picture."I take our main concerns to the DTI and the government. I get involved in lobbying campaigns, and react to press stories about the recruitment industry." he explains. -The REC is at the forefront of raising recruitment standards."
Operators up to their eyeballs in red tape, invoices and MoT certificates who require temporary drivers might well be tempted to contact the first agency they come across. Hadley warns against thisTake time, and scrutinise the agencies, he urges:"Look for REC members... everybody has a part to play in good recruitment." •