British workers for British jobs?

Sollten britische Staatsbürger auf dem britischen Arbeitsmarkt Vorrang vor anderen Mitbewerbern haben? Julian Earwaker hat sich dazu zwei gegensätzliche Meinungen angehört.

Yes!

Kathleen Walker Shaw is European Officer in Brussels for the GMB trade union, which represents workers in every part of the British economy. 

Kathleen Walker Shaw is European Officer in Brussels

So what were their terms and conditions? At the root of the dispute was a lack of transparency. It shows how damaging the decisions of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) have been. Cases like Laval un Partner and Viking Line have undermined the European Union’s Posting of Workers Directive, which is meant to protect workers from being exploited as they move from one country to another. It also aims to avoid unfair wage competition and the undermining of terms and conditions that have been agreed upon in a particular country. Sadly, in December 2007, the ECJ ruled in favour of firms undercutting local agreements.

It’s too easy to say that our arguments are protectionist. That’s overlooking the urgent need to make legislative changes. Nor is this only a British problem. We need to re-establish a consensus on the social and economic dimensions of Europe. We need to make it clear that the free movement of EU workers does not involve their fundamental rights taking second place to the rights of EU companies to operate or provide services freely within the EU.

Making sure that British workers have equal access to jobs in their own county has other advantages. It means improving vocational skills development in the UK.

For years, we have been telling government about problems regarding the movement of workers. It gives us absolutely no satisfaction now to say, “We told you so”, because it’s our members that are suffering.