Temporary workers agreement

May 22th 2008

Commenting on the deal reached on temporary workers, Richard Wilson, CEO of Tiga, said:

“The Government brokered deal giving 1.4 million temporary and agency workers equal rights with permanent staff could reduce labour market flexibility, dampen employment growth by making them more expensive and increase costs on business.

“Approximately 8% of the video games industry’s workforce consists of freelance and temporary workers. It makes no sense to increase the cost of employment – least of all in an economic downturn.

“If we are to succeed in our ambition of making the UK the best place in the world to do games business then the Government should think twice before adding to business costs. Any qualification period for giving temporary workers new rights should be measured in months rather than weeks.”

End

Notes to editors

1. Tiga is the national trade association that represents games developers in the UK and in Europe. We have 155 members, the majority of whom are games developers, but we also have outsourcing companies and technology businesses as members who provide services to games developers. Tiga’s vision is to make the UK the best place in the world to do games business.

2. The Government has brokered a deal between the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress giving 1.4 million temporary and agency workers equal rights with permanent staff after just 12 weeks. See “Equal rights for agency staff are ‘disastrous’”, Financial Times, May 21st 2008.

3. For information on the proportion of the workforce in the games industry who are temporary workers, see Skillset, Employment Census 2006: the results of the sixth census of the audio visual industries.

4. For further information, please contact: Dr Richard Wilson, Tiga CEO on: 0845 0941095; Mob: 07875 939643; or: Email: richard.wilson@tiga.org.