Brussels, 07/05/2007
The ETUC accuses the rapporteur of a flawed and over-simplified analysis of Europe's labour market problems in his draft report on the European Commission's Green Paper 'Modernising labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century'. Blaming “traditional labour law” for standing in the way of employment opportunities for so-called “outsiders”, and reducing the protection of regular jobs, rather than promoting employment opportunities for the most vulnerable workers, will make all workers throughout Europe more insecure. Instead, protection for precarious workers should be enhanced, stresses the ETUC in its recent response to the Commission's Green Paper. Reducing labour market segmentation by tackling precarious employment is a key element in achieving the Lisbon strategy aim of more and better jobs.
Although the European Union has limited competence in the area of labour law and social security, it can and must act to ensure fair and just working conditions and respect for fundamental rights in the context of a level playing field and fair competition.
“As the EU moves closer to becoming a single market for goods and services, and a European single labour market emerges, it is more crucial than ever to set clear European rules on basic protection for workers, backed up by collective bargaining at EU and national level,” declared ETUC General Secretary John Monks.
The ETUC believes that recent developments show the need for urgent action to strengthen the capacity of labour law and collective bargaining at national and at EU level to cope with the modern world of work. Workers around Europe deserve a real prospect of quality employment opportunities and proper protection. The EP must fundamentally change its report to reflect a genuine commitment to bring this about.
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