Recruiters are set to be targeted by a renewed drive from unions in the aviation and logistics sectors.

The Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G) has highlighted these sectors because it perceives them to have a high number of casual or contract workers. Unions often contend that temporary workers of this type do not get the same pay and conditions as their permanent counterparts.

The operations director of one driver specialist told Recruiter that there needs to be a "level playing field" when it comes to agency workers.

Steve Hill, operations director of Extrastaff, said: "I wouldn't say no to what the union is proposing, as long as it works both ways.

"Temporary staff can have the same rights as permanent staff, as long as I have the right to discipline or sack them like I would with permanent staff."

Tom Hadley, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) director of external relations, accused the unions of attempting to back Chancellor Gordon Brown into a corner over the agency issue, as he bids to become Prime Minister.

"The trade unions keep pushing on the agency worker issue," he said. "This comes as no surprise as the union bosses are circling the Chancellor hoping to influence his platform to become PM."