European Court of Justice attack workers again

national | worker & community struggles and protests | press release Friday June 20, 2008 10:14 by Frank Keoghan - People's Movement/Gluaiseacht an Phobail info at people dot ie 087 2308330

People's Movement
Press Release
19/06/2008

Unelected EU Commission uses ECJ to attack workers

People's Movement
Press Release
19/06/2008

Unelected EU Commission uses ECJ to attack workers

Frank Keoghan speaking today in reaction to The European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg judgement issued today in response to a case brought by the European Commission against Luxembourg. The ECJ upheld the Commission's complaint, ruling that the way in which Luxembourg has implemented the Posting of Workers Directive to protect workers rights is an obstacle to the free provision of cross border services. Mr Keoghan said:-

"People's Movement condemns this judgment as another step in prioritising the needs of the market over the rights of workers, a development that would have been accelerated by the adoption of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Lisbon Treaty."

"This judgement is another one in the series including the Laval and Rüffert cases. It confirms the ECJ's narrow interpretation of the Posting Directive in the previous cases, allowing only for a limited number of host country rules to apply. In this case, the ECJ does not recognize the autonomous right of Luxembourg to define which national public policy provisions are so important, that they should apply to national and foreign service providers on an equal footing, to counter unfair competition on wages and working conditions of workers by cross border service providers."

"The ECJ judgement is likely have an enormous impact, far beyond the Luxembourg borders, as it challenges the scope for Member States - acting in the general interest - to secure decent wages for all workers on its territory, demand respect for collective agreements and devise effective mechanisms for the monitoring and enforcement of the workers' rights provided for in the Posting Directive."

"An unelected EU commission is now actively acting against the interest of workers and the sovereignty of member states, the Irish people stance to defend democracy and workers rights by voting NO to the recent Lisbon treaty has been proven again today to have been the correct decision."
END

For further information or comment contact Frank Keoghan Dublin 087 2308330