German left-wing party Die Linke has once again failed to find support in its efforts to ban the practice of temporary staffing. The party last year called for a nationwide bill to prohibit temporary agency employment.

But the parliamentary faction of the party continues to seek a ban on temporary labour, despite current legislation making such an endeavour impossible. In Germany, temporary agency work was formally legalised in 1967. And given European-wide regulation on the use of temporary agency employment, which lifts restrictions on the use of temporary staffing, a ban would be impossible.

The Bremen city parliament has now opposed the controversial proposal by the left-wing politicians. The main parties, such as the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats, voted against the ban. In Bremen, around 5% of the workforce are engaged in temporary agency employment, which is higher than the national average at 3%.

Die Linke claims that temporary agency workers are precarious workers who earn less than permanent staff. It also said that temporary staffing was not a job engine, despite the industry creating thousands of jobs every year.