Concern over new labour legislation

Last month, a document on the key challenges facing the labour market was presented to the EU’s leaders at the Lisbon summit, but its contents revealed that much still needs to be resolved.

The sticking points in Key challenges facing European labour markets: a joint analysis of European social partners, which was agreed by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the bodies representing employers at European level, are to do with changes to employment rights.

One key bone of contention is the introduction of flexicurity — the policy that makes it easier to recruit and sack employees, but guarantees retraining and other benefits during the transition from one job to another. The document fails to explain how this will work and how exactly a balance between flexibility and security will be achieved.

The document will be considered at the next meeting of employment and social ministers on 5 December and Wanja Lundby-Wedin, president of the ETUC, hopes that flexicurity will be made more labour friendly. Speaking in Lisbon, she said that “workers need security in change”, and that “this must include job protection, life-long learning, unemployment benefits and active labour market policies”.

At least 150,000 demonstrators gathered in Lisbon to protest against worsening working conditions and to call for a Europe based on social justice.

Key challenges facing European labour markets: a joint analysis of European social partners is available from the ETUC website, www.etuc.org