The S&D Group has welcomed the Commission’s decision to stick to plans for revising the Posting of Workers Directive after an attempt to block the proposals by 11 national governments.
S&D Group president Gianni Pittella MEP said:
“Tackling unfair competition and discrimination in the workplace is our raison d'être. We have pushed the Commission hard to ensure that they stick to their promises and revise the Posting of Workers Directive. We are pleased to see that they have heeded our call. Many unscrupulous companies have been using the Posting of Workers Directive as a way of using low-cost workers from Eastern Europe and ‘posting’ them to jobs in higher-cost EU countries, circumventing national labour laws and agreements. We cannot let this continue. We need to show European citizens that we are serious about tackling abuses of free-movement rules.”
Agnes Jongerius MEP, S&D Group spokesperson for the Posting of Workers Directive, added:
"Today's decision is a wise and responsible one. I am relieved that the Commission has decided to persevere in the fight against labour-market abuses. Wage competition between EU member states undermines European solidarity. If we want to fight this race to the bottom, we must adhere to the principle of equal pay at the same place for the same work."
Note for editors
A ‘posted’ worker is someone who is employed in one EU member state and sent by his/her employer on a temporary basis to carry out his work in another member state.
