Laval, Ruffert & Viking - Fight Against Social Dumping

Role:

Marita is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) as well as on the Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis (CRIS)

Marita is also a substitute on the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).

Stance:

"Over the last years, the balance between the right to free movement of companies and social rights such as the right to strike have shifted in favour of companies moving across borders. This is a dangerous development for Europe and in the long term it will endanger the popular support for the EU. We firmly support the right of all EU workers to move, live and work in any EU country. But we do not accept that these workers are paid less only on the basis of her or his origin - this situation is extremely harmful for the social Europe we strive to achieve. In order to achieve our objectives, some changes in the European legislation are urgently needed. The two most important demands are the following; - The Posting of Workers Directive has to be revised. It must be made absolutely clear that the PWD and other directives do not prohibit Member States and social partners from demanding more favourable conditions, aimed at equal treatment of workers. - A social protocol should be drafted and attached to the treaty. It must be made absolutely clear that fundamental freedoms are not subordinated to economic freedoms."

Role:

Derek is a member on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)

Derek is also a substitute member on the Budgets (BUDG) committee and Budgetary Control (CONT) committee.

Stance:

"The rights of workers from across the EU have been seriously undermined by the recent ECJ rulings on the Laval, Viking and Rüffert cases. I feel it is my duty as a Socialist and a European, to protect workers' rights, and I, with my colleagues in the S&D Group, will be campaigning for urgent amendments to be made to the Posted Workers' Directive. As a committed trade unionist I believe this is essential if we are to achieve a truly progressive Europe."

Role:

Richard is a member of the Committee for Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)

Richard is also a substitute on the Committee on Regional Development (REGI).

Stance:

"I consider the Lisbon strategy, frankly speaking, as a Lisbon Tragedy, for not saying Lisbon Comedy. If we look back, the main goal was to be better than the United States which in a situation when America is on her knees, is not difficult to fulfil. Instead of "more and better jobs" there are less and worse jobs. Instead of an increasing Social Dialogue, steps were taken to make it impossible. How can you organize unions with people more and more employed in McJobs or precarious jobs? There was no reaction to the absurd ruling of the ECJ on the Laval and other cases. Until now it was the jurisprudence of the ILO which decided what was and what was not a convenient action by the unions. How can the European Commission speak about a certain success of the Lisbon Strategy if it ignores in its proposals the existence of the hardcore conventions of the ILO? How can the Commission ignore the existence of slave-drivers in the industrial zones of many EU countries? The response of the unions should be a loud "ENOUGH!"

Role:

Emilie is a member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).

Emilie is also a substitute on the Committee for Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).

Stance:

"Equal pay for equal job at the same workplace. That is a goal not yet achieved in the EU. Instead we are moving in the wrong direction. The ECJ cases have taught us that there is an unequal balance between the rights of the Internal Market and the rights of workers and Trade Unions. We must tip that balance in favour of workers rights and in favour of a social Europe. We must never accept social dumping and must continue to support the work of the Trade Unions around Europe and secure an improvement of EU-legislation, especially the Posted Workers Directive. The development of social Europe is more important than ever!"

Role:

Stephen is a member on the Committee for Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).

Stephen is also a substitute on the Committee for Culture and Education (CULT).

Stance:

"We believe it's important that British, Italian, Portuguese or any other EU workers should have the freedom to move, live and work in any EU country. But we do not accept that any worker should be open to exploitation as a consequence of exercising the right to free movement. Such workers should be guaranteed the same pay, terms and conditions as indigenous workers."

Role:

David is a member of the Committee on International Trade, Committee on Petitions (INTA), and a member of the Subcommittee on Human rights (DROI).

David is a substitute of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO).

Stance:

"Like other colleagues in the Socialist Group, I share the belief held by the trade union movement that the recent ECJ rulings on the Laval, Ruffert and Viking cases threaten the social, collective bargaining welfare systems built up in Europe since the Second World War. European social policy which aims to improve living and working conditions for all European citizens should not be undermined by the freedom of the market. The European Parliamentary Labour Party and the Socialist Group in the European Parliament believe that 'Liberal Europe' and 'Social Europe' can coexist under the right conditions. I welcome the report on 'Challenges to collective agreements in the EU' by my colleague Jan Anderson and in particular support the demand of the report that the European Commission review the Posted Worker Directive to better emphasise the rights of trade unions as well as its social clauses which allow the use of collective action."

Role:

Glenis is a member of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI)

Glenis is a substitute on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).

Stance:

"As a former trade union officer myself I am obviously appalled at the spate of recent ECJ rulings undermining collective labour law in the EU. I believe that we need to push hard for a social clause to be inserted into the EU Treaties in order to prioritise workers' rights and ensure that national labour law and collective agreements cannot be undermined in the name of profit. It is vitally important that the labour and trade union movement is strongly represented in the EU in order to avoid the deregulatory agenda of the right. The European Parliamentary elections in June next year will play a crucial part in this."

Role:

Catherine is a member of the Committee on Internal market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)

Catherine is a substitute on the Committee on Economic ad Monetary Affairs (ECON)

Stance:

"Predatory practices such as social dumping have no place in a modern and progressive Europe. We need to look to the future and reform our social policies."

Role:

Claude is a member on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).

Claude is also the co-ordinator for the S&D group for the LIBE Committee

Stance:

"As Labour Spokesperson on Employment and Social Affairs in the European Parliament, I am concerned about the possibility of social dumping in the EU as a result of the recent ECJ rulings on the Laval, Rüffert and Viking cases. Social Europe is an essential part of the European Union and these rulings threaten the collective bargaining and welfare systems which have developed in Europe in the last fifty years. Free market Europe must not undermine the aim to improve the living and working conditions for all EU citizens. I share the belief held by UNITE and others in the trade union movement and my Socialist colleagues in the European Parliament that the hard-earned rights of workers in the EU must be protected."

Role:

Peter is a member on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON).

Peter is also a substitute on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE).

Stance:

"Labour members of UNITE are working hard to get the right decisions made for UNITE members in the EU. These Court judgements have thrown into turmoil our intentions working at European level and we will work together to promote the changes necessary."

Role:

Linda is a member on the Environment Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).

Linda is also a substitute on the Committee on Development (DEVE).

Stance:

"I am very concerned that the ECJ rulings on the Laval, Ruffert and Viking cases may prevent Trade Unions from taking action to protect their members and other workers from the practice of social dumping. The Posted Worker Directive should ensure that minimum standards are just that; minimum. The right of Trade Unions to ensure that minimum standards apply to all workers, regardless of nationality, should not be compromised in favour of the freedom of the market".

Role:

Richard is a member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Delegation for relations with Japan.

Richard is a substitute on the Committee on Budgets, Committee on Budgetary Control and Delegation for relations with the countries of the Andean Community.

Stance:

"It is probably fair to say that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is an institution not used to hitting the headlines. However, its recent judgments in the Viking, Laval and Rüffert cases, have understandably given rise to consternation amongst trade unionists across the whole of Europe. In them, the court appears to give a higher priority to the freedom of circulation of capital and labour across the European market than to the rights of trade unions to take industrial action or make collective agreements. With the revision of the decade-old Working Time Directive and legislation on temporary agency workers still deadlocked by the failure of Member States to agree a deal in Council, these judgments have served to add to the frustrations felt by many trade unionists about the progress of European social legislation.

However, any moves to heap the blame on the Court are misplaced. It is important to remember that the ECJ can only rule on disputes that are referred to it about the scope and meaning of existing law. If its rulings show that existing laws are inadequate, it is up to us to change the law."

Role:

Jan is the Chairman of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

Jan is a member on the Conference of Committee Chairmen and on the Delegation for relations with Japan.

Jan is also a substitute on the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Stance:

"The recent judgements from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has caused great concern among trade unions and workers in Europe. It is of immense importance that the principle of equal pay for equal work and non discrimination is restored. It is of equal importance that the autonomy of social partners is respected.

In order to achieve this, some changes in European legislation is urgently needed. The most important demands are the following;

- The Posting of Workers Directive has to be revised. It must be made absolutely clear that the PWD and other directives do not prohibit Member States and social partners from demanding more favourable conditions, aimed at equal treatment of workers, and that there are assurances that Community legislation can be implemented on the basis of all the existing labour market models.

- A social protocol should be drafted and attached to the treaty. This protocol should address the balance between fundamental rights, such as the right to strike and the economic freedoms in the treaty. It must be absolutely clear that fundamental freedoms are not subordinated to economic freedoms.

- We must ensure that EU-legislation does not contradict important ILO-conventions."