Only an aspiration

Monday, September 07, 2009

THE solemn declaration on workers rights agreed at the EU council of ministers meeting last June was purely aspirational and commits the EU to no action whatsoever.

It does nothing to reverse the series of recent judgments by the European Court of Justice undermining workers’ rights.

It provides the EU with no new instruments to promote or protect workers’ rights. It will not be added as a protocol to any future EU treaty, and therefore will have no meaningful legal status.

The concerns regarding workers’ rights that motivated many people to reject the Lisbon Treaty last year remain in place. Despite this, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore is calling on people to support the treaty. This is a massive U-turn on workers’ rights.

Martin Ferris TD
Leinster House
Dublin 2

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, September 07, 2009