ZPP Newsletter
17.10.2017
EAST-CENTRAL EUROPE LOSES ITS FIRST BATTLE CONCERNING POSTING OF WORKERS
The project of the Report concerning Revision of the Posted Workers Directive has been adopted by the Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Commission of the European Parliament.
Provisions ensuring: remunerations for the posted workers equal to the rates existing in the receiving country, rules of the long-term posting (proposition of 24 months) and implementation of the principles of treating employees of the temporary work agencies in the same manner as permanent ones have been adopted. There have been 32 votes in favour, 8 votes against and 13 abstentions.
Adopting the report opens possibility of performing a trialogue negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council. The Members have issued 523 amendments to the 96/71/EC Directive “Posting of workers in the framework of services”. Committees of the European Parliament: IMCO and JURI have presented their opinions. The reporters and shadow reporters: Elisabeth Morin-Chartier (EPP, France), Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Netherlands) have negotiated the compromise solutions.
Trade Unions and European socialists supporting Agnes Jongerius are unanimous – they emphasise that the European Parliament wants to fight against unfair competitiveness and protect employers.
Countries of the old Union are not able to accept us as equal Members of the Union. All of the directives which are favourable for the old Union work perfectly (those concerning work, capital and goods). The only directive which doesn’t work well is the Service Directive – the one profitable for the new Union. Polish government ought to react to the French activity adequately. If Polish companies cannot compete in France, the reprisal is quite obvious – said Cezary Kaźmierczak, the President of ZPP. – We are aware that more harmful directives are being prepared and they may be even more destructive for us. If we don’t react firmly, we might face a threat of becoming merely a colony – he added.
After the voting, Martina Dlabajova, the MP from ALDE from Czech Republic stated as a representative of the minority that she didn’t vote in favour of adopting the report, since no consensus ensuring free flow of people and services in frames of posting of workers has been achieved.
The case has not been entirely lost yet – said Agata J. Boutanos, the head of the ZPP Branch Office in Brussels – we need Polish diplomatic offensive which would counteract this harmful regulation.
The meeting of the Ministers of Labour is planned for the 23 October in Luxembourg.
