More open labour markets ‘will benefit Europe’
Yesterday, only four more countries opened their labour markets to workers from the 10 countries which joined the EU on May 1, 2004. Greece, Portugal, Spain and Finland have joined Ireland, Britain and Sweden in allowing full access to their jobs markets.
France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria have decided to maintain restrictions, amid domestic concerns about the economic impact of allowing unrestricted access across borders to relatively cheap labour from Eastern and Central Europe.
Germany and Austria insist they would face an unsustainable influx of workers from Poland, Hungary and elsewhere if they fully opened up.
Yesterday, the EU’s Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla welcomed the increased mobility, saying the fact that some were now making concessions was positive.
“I am convinced that this move will be to the great benefit of European workers and economy alike. It will give a strong impetus to those member states that have kept restrictions and I hope that they will gradually lift restrictions in the coming years,” he said.
Here, two of the country’s leading unions — SIPTU and the ATGWU — pledged to join forces to protect workers from all countries.
They pledged to “focus increased resources on assisting all those working in Ireland — regardless of their country of origin — to organise effectively in trade unions under the umbrella of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to defend and enhance their interests.”
Sinn Féin’s employment and workers’ rights spokesman Arthur Morgan demanded further Government action to enhance the protection of migrant workers.
“May Day is International Workers’ Day and represents an opportunity to celebrate the important role played by trade unions and to reiterate calls for improved enforcement of employment laws. There must be a particular emphasis on vulnerable workers and in particular on migrant workers who have been subject to exploitation,” he said.
