The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) today announced that Andrew Horner, Director at Optimum Recruitment has been re-elected as the chair of the RECís Drivers Sector group for the fourth consecutive term.
Horner, who recently left Direct Recruitment to join Optimum, has been working in the driver recruitment sector for over twenty years and says that his key objective will be to continue to improve industry standards.
As well as continuing to work in co-operation with the RECís Professional Standards Department, the Drivers Sector Group will be working closely with the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) following the recently published ëSuccess at Workí consultation which includes a specific focus on driving issues. In particular, the report highlights instances of workers being employed without proper driving qualifications and routinely breaching current working-time regulations. On behalf of the Driverís sector group, Horner will also be working with other Government agencies such as the Department of Transport and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) to ensure that the proposed crack down on rogue driver agencies targets the right businesses.
Commenting on the work ahead, Horner says:
ìThe activities of rogue agencies in the drivers sector are completely unacceptable and must be addressed. Agencies that flout current regulations are able to undercut reputable agencies and we must continue to be pro-active in promoting our Code of Professional Practice to clients and key stakeholders so that we are not tarnished with the same brush. We must ensure that the value of safe and ethical recruitment must be made clear to HR and procurement professionalsî.
Horner will also be responsible for working with the RECís legal team and External Relations Department to communicate and support members through recent and forthcoming regulatory changes. One immediate priority is to monitor the impact of the change to the ways that driversí weekly and daily rest is calculated and to make it easier for agencies to verify employee hours. According to Horner:
ìWorking time is a key issue for driver agencies. When a driver is working through a number of agencies it is often difficult to verify their working hours and there is a strong need for clarification and guidance in this areaî.
Commenting on Hornerís appointment, Gareth Osborne, Managing Director says: ìAndrew has done a great job in helping the RECís Driverís Sector Group to continue to improve standards at a crucial time for the industry and we are delighted to have him on board for the fourth successive year.î
Re-elected REC Chair Aims To Drive Out Rogue Driver Agencies
Andrew Horner, Director at Optimum Recruitment has been re-elected as the chair of the RECís Drivers Sector group for the fourth consecutive term
