Save Our Public Services

national | eu | event notice Tuesday February 07, 2006 15:56 by Ciaran Doherty - Sinn Fein

The Eu Services Directive & Ireland

Save our Public Services: The EU Services Directive and Ireland (February 8, Dublin)
A seminar on the European Services Directive and its implications for Public Services and Workers Rights in Ireland.

On in the Arts Block Trinity College Dublin, Room 3074
on Wednesday 8 February at 7.30pm

Speakers:
• Aengus O’Snodaigh TD Sinn Féin International Affairs spokesperson
• Jack O Connor General president of SIPTU
• Rene Roovers from GUE/NGL (Confederal group of European United Left/Nordic Green Left) in the European Parliament and member of the Dutch Socialist Party
• Barry Finnegan CAEUC (Campaign against the European Constitution)

The European Services Directive will be debated at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday February 14 and voted on Thursday 16 February.

There has been a gradual EU wide drive to erode the conditions in which workers are employed. All across Europe Governments and industry are keen to pit workers against each other ensuring a race to the bottom with regard to pay and conditions.

The controversial EU Services Directive will compound this 'bargain basement approach' to workers' rights in the EU. The Directive in its present form would allow private companies to undercut public service providers by employing people on the salaries of their country of origin and under the employment conditions of their country of origin. This could lead to massive redundancies of public sector workers across Ireland, and the creation of a new underclass of migrant workers, whose rights would not be protected by employment law in Ireland.

At present the Irish government is supportive of the Directive which is being pushed through the Parliament by Irish Commissioner for the Internal Market Charlie Mc Creevy. The Irish government and Irish MEP’s need to get a strong message in relation to this Directive that Workers Rights and Irish Public Services are not up for sale.

For More information contact Ciarán Doherty, Sinn Féin European Department 01 8726932