The call was made by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, on the eve of a key meeting of EU Employment Ministers at which attempts will be made by the Portuguese Presidency to reach agreement on the review of the Working Time Directive and the Temporary Agency Workers Directive.
Until now, the UK government has held together a coalition of countries that have blocked progress on these Directives. However, there are now signs that support from some member states may have weakened so that, on Wednesday, the UK could be outvoted and forced to accept legislation which threatens to undermine UK labour market flexibility.
EEF supports the position of the UK government that EU legislation should not damage labour market flexibility and that these 2 Directives should not be linked together for political purposes. This latter concern was endorsed by a number of EEF's sister organisations from other countries, including France and Germany, at a recent meeting in Brussels of CEEMET, the European employers' organisation to which EEF belongs..
Commenting, EEF Director General, Martin Temple, said:
“It is ironic that, at the very time that the EU is planning to adopt common principles on 'flexicurity', some Member States are pushing for the introduction of two Directives that will significantly damage labour market flexibility in the UK and the rest of Europe. If the EU is really serious about wanting to avoid exporting jobs, Member States should not introduce legislation that will adversely affect Europe's labour market in the way that these Directives would do.”
Notes
In addition to discussing Working Time and Agency Workers, EU Employment Ministers will adopt common principles on so-called 'Flexicurity'. The EU defines 'flexicurity' as 'an integrated strategy to enhance, at the same time, flexibility and security in the labour market'.