Union support for European Project 'undermined'

15 Jan 2008

Trade union support for the European Project cannot be assumed or taken for granted, a high level Congress delegation* has told the Oireachtas Committee of European Affairs.

Addressing the Committee today (Jan. 15), Congress General Secretary David Begg said a number of recent events had served to undermine support for the European Project in both the Irish and wider European trade union movements.

In the past, trade unions had solidly supported EU integration, Mr Begg said.

"But there is a sense that the political centre of gravity has moved, with enlargement, in a neoliberal direction. The outlook for more social legislation is diminished. Of course, this will suit the EU Commission, which is the most neoliberal we have ever had."

Among the recent negative developments cited by Mr Begg were:

  • That there was no consultation with unions on the decision to open the Irish Labour Market to accession countries, in 2004. This was done at the behest of business and without thought for proper regulation, which was subsequently achieved in Towards 2016;
  • The attempt to push through the original Services Directive;
  • The failure to agree on a Directive on Agency Workers, particularly the Irish government's slavish aping of British opposition to this Directive
  • The recent European Court of Justice judgement on Laval

While Congress has adopted no formal position on the proposed Reform Treaty, Mr Begg pointed out that these recent developments would certainly influence the debate and final decision of the Irish Trade Union movement.

"These events make for a difficult climate in which the traditional trade union support for the European Project cannot be assumed....there is a fear that the era of social legislation may be over and with it, the concept of Social Europe. It is Social Europe that commands the support of the trade union movement - not Market Europe," Mr Begg told the Committee.

"Europe is leading the world in developing legislation......to guarantee that companies can have certainty about how to conduct business across borders. This activity is privileged over the rights of workers. While business rights are being codified and strengthened, workers can only expect loose frameworks and vague approaches to enforcement," Mr Begg concluded.