BATTLE lines were drawn today in the war against employment ageism in York and North Yorkshire.

Bosses and organisations in the region have been called to arms at a ground-breaking conference next month to help create a level playing field for people aged 35-plus when it comes to employing the jobless, whether old or young.

The event today received the official blessing of Work and Pensions Minister Ian McCartney, who wished it "every success."

Major York employers have been queuing to pledge their support for the conference, to be held at the Parsonage Country House Hotel, Escrick, on Tuesday, March 19, including CPP, of Holgate Park, public transport company First and printers and mail franchisors DocQwise, of Station Rise.

Organisers with York and North Yorkshire District Employment Service hope the get-together will spearhead a national movement to get employers' good practices ready before they are imposed by the new European legislation being phased in over three years from 2003.

But Nigel Pendleton, quality and equality manager for the district employment service wants to go further than simply compliance. He is acutely aware that 49.6 per cent of unemployed people in his area are aged 35 or over and of those who are long-term unemployed 63 per cent are aged 45 plus.

He said: "We hope to demonstrate the positive and ultimately profitable benefits to employers by taking on people with experience, loyalty, steadfastness, stability and the ability to mentor.

"Employers often approach me, expressing concern at skills shortages in a dwindling labour market and my advice to them has been simple: widen your recruitment pool by increasing your age parameters."

Keynote speakers will be Patrick Gratton, chief executive of the Third Age Employment Network, Jan Eskildsen, managing director of DocQwise, Heather Soulway, national spokesperson for Eden Brown Recruitment and Steve Billam, manager of the Department of Works and Pensions' Age Positive unit.

Any employer who wants to pledge support should phone Mr Pendleton on 01904 882030.

Updated: 10:29 Tuesday, February 12, 2002