LMI joining the European EaSI project on the posting of workers & labour rights
At the end of February in Madrit a kick-off meeting launching an European project within the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). It’s topic is: “Overcoming challenges in the field of posting of workers through joint cooperation of social partners from public sector”.
At the end of February in Madrit a kick-off meeting launching an European project within the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). It’s topic is: “Overcoming challenges in the field of posting of workers through joint cooperation of social partners from public sector”.
According to the initiators of the EaSI project, in the last years the EU experiences different side-effects of creating the internal market. They are a result of, among others, increased mobility of companies and workers between the member states. The huge economic and cultural differences between them in some sense threatens sicial conditions’ cohesion and could generate emerging of unfair practices eg. in the field of mobile labour. Posting of workers is a very important issue in context of the internal market, social rights and sustainable development. In aim to regulate it, first the Posting of workers Directive and then the Enforcement Directive and – even more important – it’s proper implementation, have been the tools avialable to combat the unfair practices in the field of remuneration and working conditions as well as sufficient protection of workers in case of temporary migration.
Participants
Social partners, participating in the project are trade unions, employers’ organizations, universities and NGO’s – with LMI among them. The partners are from Spain, Great Britain, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Also partners from countries applying for accession: (Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania). The project inauguration will happen in Madrit in the second half of February. The works will focus on elaborating solutions for an effective implementation of the Enforcement Directive in the participating states:
“Social partners will support proper implementation of the Enforcement Directive. It will happen through international and domestic activities in aim to exchange knowledge, good practices and cross-border cooperation improvement.”
Goals
The project aims to examine the difficulties in monitoring and implementing the Enforcement Directive. What is more, to widen the knowledge and skills of the social partners on the topic as well as in the scope of using the IMI system. It is the main communication channel between the competent institutions from particular member states. Another goal is to improve the access to information on the duties and rights regarding the rules of posting – also these referring to employment of third-countriy nationals. More noteworthy is enlarging the cross-border cooperation and trust between the social partners and institutions.
“Project aims to achieve better protection of workers while generating free and fair movement and higher employment rates.”
It is a 4-step project and it’s final is planned in June 2018. A promotion plan including the social media and publications is also provided.
Why exceptional?
The project is an extraordinary event, especially in the light of the European Commission’s proposal to revise the Posting of workers Directive. it’s launch itself is a proof that European Union, thanks to the Enforcement Directive and avialable administrative practices is in possession of tools, which are sufficient to ensure the protection of workers. It’s proper implementation and application is what EU needs. Experts at the Think tank conference on posting of workers have also addressed this issue. EPP held it in Brussels with Sven Schulze’s opening. Meanwhile, the Commission and part of the EPcontinue to ignore the mentioned possibilities. Instead, they go for a “loud” and media-attractive solution – the revision proposal, without using the avialable tools.
What is more, social partners represent different stakeholders – such tightened cooperation between them is exceptional. It enables a deepened partnership and exchange of knowledge and experience. Recognition of the points of view through joint seeking for universal solutions is valuable as well.
The project is a major step towards creating the fact-based, reliable legislation. As it’s participant, we truly hope that it will succeed to develop administrative and practical tools under the existing law. Such tools will be another proof that is is possible to effectively fight the unfair practices on the market and ensure the protection of workers without creating complicated limitations, which exclude from the market firms from the poorer EU countries and, in result, are harming their economies and deprive workers from the well-paid jobs.
(MZ)
