In its response to the Commission’s Green Paper on “Modernizing labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century”, EAPN states that there is a need for Labour Law to adapt in order to play its protective function regarding the development of precarity and to contribute to an inclusive labour market.
12 EAPN Key Demands:
- Reforms to labour law should be subject to an open debate leading to a renewed wideranging agreement involving all stakeholders.
- Social NGOs , voicing the interest of the most excluded, should be part of such a debate at EU and national level, together with Trade-Unions.
- Progress towards more flexibility should fit workers’ needs, and deliver an inclusive labour market which is accessible for all.
- The improvement of the situation of the most excluded should not mean lowering other people’s rights: the language of social inclusion should not be used to undermine workers’ rights.
- Labour Law reforms should be based on fundamental rights and support the implementation of the right to decent work for all.
- Labour Law reforms should be instrumental in implementing a balanced approach to economic, employment and social objective and be considered as part of an integrated approach together with Social Protection.
- Any Labour Law reforms should deliver in relation to current poverty-related challenges of working poor, inadequate income and access to employment.
- Labour Law reforms should be driven by the political will to deliver a balanced approach to flexicurity.
- Labour Law reforms should first improve the protection of the most vulnerable.
- Labour Law reform should be instrumental in building pathways into the labour market, including supporting access to lifelong learning and supporting social economy initiatives providing employment integration.
- Labour Law reforms must support positive action in the interest of the most excluded from the Labour Market.
- The EU level is a relevant level for stimulating convergence, towards the promotion of quality of work and decent work.
