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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: 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.
'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. 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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