Millions of fixed-term contract workers in the European Union would win legal protection against discrimination under an agreement between employers and trade unions.
The outline deal, which will now be considered by national unions and employers' organisations, would limit excessive use of successive contracts.
It also aims to "improve the quality of fixed-term work by ensuring the . . . principle of non-discrimination" compared with permanent workers.
There are about 17 million fixed-term workers in the EU out of a total workforce of 150 million, although some are already protected against discrimination by national laws.
Trade unions have complained that employers use short-term contracts to deprive workers of rights and benefits.
The European Trades Union Congress yesterday hailed the agreement for improving workers' rights. Unice, the employers' confederation, said the pact would preserve flexibility for employers in using contracts.
If approved by employers and unions in consultations during the next two months, the deal would be only the third negotiated by the two sides under "social protocol" provisions.
The protocol encourages the "social partners" to reach agreements on work-related issues which they can then ask governments to adopt into law. Although national governments are entitled collectively to reject any agreements reached, they are unlikely to do so.
