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The Agency Workers Directive isn’t a ‘sexy’ subject like house prices, tax rises and public spending. But I was delighted to see it on the agenda at this season’s political party conferences. It means the Directive, and its implications, are being seriously considered by our politicians.

The REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation)was at each of the conferences, representing its members – which includes ACR – and putting the case against the immediate implementation of this legislation.

Political arguments aren’t my style but I was pleased to see that at least one of the major parties seemed to understand the concerns that thousands of agencies like ours share about the impact the introduction of the Directive will have on an already slack labour market.

The European Parliament has stipulated the Directive must be brought in by December 2011 at the latest. There has been a suggestion it will actually be on the statute books by next April. That makes us very nervous. Our worry is that the cost of putting in place the necessary strategies to deal with the Directive – let alone the cost of actually funding the new rules – will mean many small businesses, charities and the like will simply refuse to use temporary staff. This could be disastrous – not only for industry but for the already precarious employment market.

Our argument is that the Directive – inspired by a desire to offer more extensive protection to ‘vulnerable’ agency workers – is going to have a negative effect on all agency workers.

The REC is holding a conference next month which should give us more information about how we can continue to fight to delay the introduction of the Directive.