Trade Unions Urged To 'Campaign For A Better Europe'

Many of the advances in workplace rights that employees take for granted would not have become law in the UK if it were not for Europe.

Now a pamphlet published by the TUC, makes this all perfectly clear:

'Europe and your rights at work' says that many of the protections that we have come to accept at work such as sex discrimination and health and safety law, began life as directives in Europe.

The pamphlet written by MEP Stephen Hughes and ex-TUC Assistant General Secretary, David (now Lord) Lea, also says that the best defence that the UK economy has against the negative human costs of globalisation comes from being part of a strengthened social Europe, not a single market at the mercy of the markets, deregulation and increased liberalisation.

Included are sections showing Trade Union case studies, with the CWU's Julia Upton feraturing on the section dealing with sex discrimination, whilst Community Safety Rep, Corus Teeside commments on H&S letgislation.

'Europe and your rights at work' features 12 key rights emanating from Europe that have improved the quality of all UK workers' contracts of employments including sex discrimination law, the Transfer of Undertaking (TUPE) principle - which protects the terms of conditions of employees whose jobs are contracted out - , equal treatment for part time workers and limits on working time.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber and former TUC boss John Monks (who now heads up the European Trade Union Confederation), urges trade unions to continue to press for a better Europe, one that has people, not just the interests of business, at its heart.

"UK politicians like to claim the good things from Europe as their own, and blame it for anything unpopular. Yet some of the most popular and worthwhile changes in the workplace have come direct from Europe.

This is not just because the social European model balances the needs of employees, consumers and the environment in a way alien in unfettered US capitalism, but because it makes sense to introduce such changes throughout the world's biggest market.

But there is still more that could be done at European level to protect vulnerable workers such as bringing the now shelved agency workers directive back to life, and more in the UK to promote and protect social Europe.", he says.

Stephen Hughes MEP said: "If Europe is to succeed it has to have relevance in the daily lives of its citizens, its working people and their families. It is social Europe, Europe's social agenda that has provided and must continue to provide that relevance.

The European wide opinion survey "Eurobarometer" is now showing that Europe's citizens are more concerned about a growing sense of insecurity than anything else.

As globalisation continues to unfold we have to find new ways to balance flexibility for companies with the necessary degree of security for workers working in and moving between those firms. Without that balance working people will stand against change rather than embrace it.

The European social model, the social agenda and the vital joint work of the two sides of industry are crucial to the achievement of that balance."

As for the future, the authors express concern that businesses and some European governments are pressing Europe to slow down on the social front. Those who want to see Brussels pursue a liberalised, deregulated, more flexible agenda argue that this is the only defence Europe has against the emerging economies of China and India. To the contrary, the pamphlet argues that the successful Scandinavian economies prove that it is possible to have sound rights at work, safe and equal workplaces and well-run economies.

The paphlet (PDF form) can be downloaded here

Source: TUC

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