The Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the UK's Trades Union Congress have jointly warned that attempts to undermine and weaken worker protections in exchange for Britain's continued membership of the European Union will be opposed by both union federations and by unions across the EU.
Ahead of Taoiseach Enda Kenny's June 18 meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron, Congress and the TUC have joined in opposing any agenda that would see worker protection eroded, as part of the UK government's 'agenda for Europe'.
Congress has called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to ensure the Irish government gives no support or comfort to any such proposals or plans and said that any undermining of social and employment rights would run counter to the obligations of both governments, under the Good Friday Agreement.
The UK government plans for a moratorium on social and employment measures at EU level, to weaken working conditions and to reduce workers' rights to holidays, rest breaks and fair treatment for part-time and agency workers, and ultimately to repatriate these competences to the national level, so that they could easily be repealed. This could not be done if these measures are enshrined in EU law.
