The Government was today accused of delaying equal pay and basic employment rights for agency workers by blocking a European directive.

The TUC said the Government was continuing to demand that agency staff should only receive equal pay and basic rights when they have been in a job for over a year.

Three quarters of the UK's 800,000 agency workers would not enjoy the new rights because they were never kept in one job for over a year, said the TUC.

General secretary Brendan Barber said the UK Government was keeping the issue off the negotiating table and delaying "decent treatment" of agency workers.

Friday November 21, 2003