Worker rights charter a giant leap forward

IN his letter on EU workers’ rights (September 7), Martin Ferris says the solemn declaration on the issue contains “no new instruments to promote or protect workers’ rights” and it has “no meaningful legal status”.

Yet he ignores the raft of such instruments contained in the Lisbon Treaty which, if ratified, will have a very definite and meaningful legal status.

For the first time, the EU treaties will recognise a host of workers’ rights protections through its adoption of the charter of fundamental rights.