EU debates Ireland’s opposition to laws protecting agency workers (20/2/08)
As pressure grows within Ireland for the government to enact legislation protecting agency employees, the European Parliament has also been roped in to try and speed up the introduction of the long-awaited Directive on Temporary Workers. Opposition from a number of member states including Ireland and the UK has so far blocked the passage of this draft law, which would set down basic rights for temporary employees, including the right to the same pay and conditions, in-house health and safety training and childcare accessed by equivalent permanent staff. There are an estimated 100,000 temps working through about 500 employment agencies in Ireland, many of them in the construction sector, and many of them migrants. Speaking in Strasbourg earlier this week, Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa urged the Slovenian presidency of the EU to seek agreement between member states on the directive by the end of March. ‘If Ireland and the UK do not accept a reasonable compromise’, Mr De Rossa added, ‘the EU should press the matter to a vote in the Employment Council in April.’
He warned that the government’s continued opposition to the directive ‘not only puts Ireland’s social partnership at risk, but undermines workers’ support for the European project.’ He expressed confidence that Irish and British opposition to the directive would be overcome under the EU’s qualified majority voting system.
Entry filed under: Eurolink Dublin, Uncategorized. Tags: .
Trackback this post