AS MANY as 80 pledges of support for a groundbreaking fight against ageism in employment in York and North Yorkshire have been made by bosses to the district employment service.

Employers and other organisations are rallying to the cause as the employment service hosts a conference at the Parsonage Country House Hotel, at Escrick, next Tuesday.

The get-together is being taken seriously in Government circles as a possible template for rolling out the fight nationally.

Whitehall officials will attend, including Carol Sweetenham, the team leader of the Government's workforce development unit, which is responsible directly to Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Nigel Pendleton, the workforce development manager for the York and North Yorkshire district employment service, said today that by the time the half-day conference begins, about 100 employers will have promised to take part in workshops to determine the benefits of employing older people.

Also backing the constructive plan to demonstrate the value of experience will be about 40 other organisations in the region - including the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce; the regional Learning and Skills Council; Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency; Business Link; Business in the Community and Learn Direct.

They will also be looking at incentives, at training aspects and at the advantages of retaining staff and skills.

Mr Pendleton said: "We hope that this gathering will spearhead a national movement to raise the profile of the very real business benefits of creating a right age balance in the workforce, and the opportunities these will bring.

"We need to act before good practices are imposed by new European legislation being phased in over three years from 2003.

"This approach is vital to the North Yorkshire economy. In an area where 1.6 per cent unemployment is relatively low, we dare not ignore age diversity in the workplace. To do so employers will limit their options in accessing huge skills and talents which are in demand and face skills shortage gaps."

Keynote speaker will be civil servant Charles Fuller, of the Department of Trade and Industry, appointed to steer a new age discrimination Bill through Parliament next year.

A few spaces are still available at the conference. Any employers or organisations interested should contact Mr Pendleton at 01904 882030.

Updated: 09:29 Tuesday, March 12, 2002