Brussels, 15/12/2010
As underlined by Joël Decaillon, ETUC’s Deputy General Secretary, at a meeting of the European Parliament last week: “We now have a draft directive which ignores the principle of equal treatment, adds to the number of exemptions and will result in a wide variety of workers’ statutes. This in turn will increase social dumping, the lack of job security, the instability and the vulnerability of groups of workers in Europe and will lead to further competition which is the exact opposite of the spirit in which the immigration package was initially intended”.
Moreover, contrary to the declarations of Commissioner Malmström, there was no consultation of nor any genuine dialogue with the social partners regarding this draft directive. The ETUC, which supports a framework directive on migrant workers based on equal treatment and non-discrimination principles, urges the EP to take advantage of the coming period to engage in a real debate on the subject with the social partners.
The ETUC is calling on all trade union organizations to pursue and develop this debate with the members of the European Parliament in their respective countries to ensure that such a framework be built in accordance with the principles of the charter of fundamental rights included today in the European Treaties.
The ETUC, together with Belgian non-governmental organizations, has also delivered a petition to the Belgian presidency asking Member States to ratify the United Nations convention on migrant workers.