The International Confederation of Private Employment Agencies (Ciett) and the UNI Global Union, a global network of unions, signed a memorandum of understanding to create a partnership and have dialog regarding temporary workers from staffing firms.

The memorandum aims to promote decent working conditions for temporary workers from staffing agencies. It also provides for working with policy makers from different countries to identify legal obstacles to temporary work and remove them, respect for the right to collective bargaining and cooperation in taking steps to end human trafficking.

"The memorandum of understanding is a major step in establishing a global dialogue platform between the world's largest private employment agencies and trade unions," said Denis Pennel, Ciett managing director. "It recognizes that temporary agency work contributes to improving the functioning of labor markets by implementing active labor market policies, facilitating transitions, improving life-work balance and helping fighting undeclared work."

In addition, "the partnership established through the agreement will help to promote quality standards within the industry, prevent unfair competition by fraudulent agencies and/or user companies and fight human trafficking," Pennel said.

Announcement of the memorandum comes shortly after the European Parliament approved a new rule requiring equal treatment of temporary workers from staffing firms and traditionally hired ones.