Miliband pledges to ban ‘foreign hires only’ agencies
1 May 2014
Labour leader Ed Milliband has threatened to ban recruitment agencies that only hire foreign workers in a 10-point cost-of-living contract he announced today for the 2015 election campaign.
Thu, 1 May 2014Labour leader Ed Miliband has threatened to ban recruitment agencies that only hire foreign workers in a 10-point cost-of-living contract he announced today for the 2015 election campaign.
The ban would be part of his proposal to “tackle the abuse of migrant labour to undercut wages” as well as to press for stronger controls in Europe of such activity.
Miliband has also pledged to ban “exploitative” zero-hour contracts and provide a job guarantee for the young unemployed and more apprenticeships.
Responding to the pledge to “ban recruitment agencies that only hire foreign workers” the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) chief executive Kevin Green says:
“The practice of hiring exclusively from abroad, favouring foreign workers or refusing hire or advertise to British workers is discriminatory and already illegal.
“We are frustrated with these criticisms of recruiters, especially as the Labour party doesn’t provide evidence to support any allegations that these illegal practices are occurring.
“We want politicians of all parties to recognise the dedication of the more than 93,000 recruiters in the UK who work hard every day to help business get the talent they need and people the jobs they want. We will continue to talk to the Labour Party and are keen to work in partnership to promote growth and create jobs.”
A spokesman for the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) said the organisation had no further comment.
Other employment- and business-related points in his so-called Cost of Living Contract are:
The ban would be part of his proposal to “tackle the abuse of migrant labour to undercut wages” as well as to press for stronger controls in Europe of such activity.
Miliband has also pledged to ban “exploitative” zero-hour contracts and provide a job guarantee for the young unemployed and more apprenticeships.
Responding to the pledge to “ban recruitment agencies that only hire foreign workers” the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) chief executive Kevin Green says:
“The practice of hiring exclusively from abroad, favouring foreign workers or refusing hire or advertise to British workers is discriminatory and already illegal.
“We are frustrated with these criticisms of recruiters, especially as the Labour party doesn’t provide evidence to support any allegations that these illegal practices are occurring.
“We want politicians of all parties to recognise the dedication of the more than 93,000 recruiters in the UK who work hard every day to help business get the talent they need and people the jobs they want. We will continue to talk to the Labour Party and are keen to work in partnership to promote growth and create jobs.”
A spokesman for the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) said the organisation had no further comment.
Other employment- and business-related points in his so-called Cost of Living Contract are:
- to get 200,000 homes built a year by 2020
- cut income tax through a lower 10p starting tax rate, and introduce a 50p top rate of tax
- cut business rates and reform the banks
- provide working parents with 25 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds.
- strengthen the national Minimum Wage and provide tax breaks to firms that “boost pay through the Living Wage” (considered an adequate amount of money needed to maintain a socially acceptable quality of life)
