Mixed reactions to EU deal on work bills
LUCIA KUBOSOVA
11.06.2008 @ 09:25 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A breakthrough deal on two work-related EU bills has sparked both praise and criticism from business players, with the two camps now urging the European Parliament to rubber-stamp or change the adopted version of rules on working time and agency workers.
EU social affairs and employment ministers reached a compromise agreement on the two long-disputed dossiers on early Thursday (10 June), after some four years of deadlock between those advocating social protection and those in favour of more labour market flexibility.
Some business players say the two EU work-related bills should not have been tackled together (Photo: Lars Gundersen / Nobel Peace Center)
Slovenia, currently chairing the 27-strong Union, and the European Commission have hailed the deal as striking the right balance, with commissioner for social affairs Vladimir Spidla referring to it as a perfect example of "flexicurity", in a statement after the meeting.
"We have created more security and better conditions for workers and temporary agency workers while maintaining the flexibility that industry needs and workers want when reconciling family life and working life," he said.
However, some economic players are condemning the prevalence of one principle against the other in either of the two bills, with the harshest critics openly suggesting that the two-package approach first introduced last winter was wrong.
"Both of these dossiers are crucial in providing the flexible labour markets that businesses desire and deserve to be considered separately," Eurochambres' secretary general Arnaldo Abruzzi commented, rejecting the "cheap 'two for the price of one' deal," struck by ministers.
The group, representing European chambers of commerce and industry, primarily disapproves of provisions in the agency workers directive which foresee no qualifying period for temporary workers if social partners cannot reach agreement, arguing it will cause greater administrative burdens for small businesses.
But the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME) has praised the deal. "The Council's success in finding political agreement on these sensitive topics is a positive signal for European crafts and SMEs," said UEAPME's chief Andrea Benassi.
Meanwhile the British Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) suggests that the price for the UK's continued opt-out from the 48-hour maximum working week - secured by Tuesday's ministerial decision - was "far too high."
"While British ministers pop champagne corks and hail this deal as a triumph, Britain's entrepreneurs will be drowning their sorrows," said Tina Sommer, FSB Chairman, pointing out that "in these difficult economic times, small businesses need to be flexible in order to grow, but this [agency work] directive will be like a steel rod for their backs."
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has both praise and criticism for the bills. "The agreement on a directive on temporary agency workers was positive and shows that the European Union can legislate improvements for workers, contrary to what some business lobbyists have been arguing," noted ETUC chief John Monks.
"But the agreement on working time is highly unsatisfactory and unacceptable to the ETUC, in respect of the new provisions on on-call work and the continuation of the UK opt-out," he added.
The contradictory arguments are set to feature strongly when the European Parliament deals with the two bills later this year.