I argued during the EU referendum campaign that few organisations had been as good for the rights of UK workers as the EU. Whether it be on holiday pay, equality rights, equal rights for part time employees and the right to reasonable working hours it by and large led the way, and the UK followed. It was, I argued, a reason for staying in as the likelihood was that those wanting Brexit wanted to remove some or all of those hard won rights.
The evidence that I (and others, of course) was right is beginning to emerge, As The Sunday Times (paywall) reports today of Cabinet meetings planned for this week which will finally discuss what the Cabinet wants of Brexit:
Gove and other ministers will use tomorrow's meeting to call for Britain to abandon the EU working time directive, which restricts the working week to 48 hours.
So now we know that the £350 million is to be paid for by exploiting British workers who will no longer have the right to go home when they want, and who will be exposed to greater risk as a a result. You couldn't make it up.
The TUC has already launched a petition on the issue, here. I hope you might join me in signing it.
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Done and circulated too.
Michael Gove……………………what a piece of work he is.
The latest Tory thinking seems to be that if they write into law that animals are sentient and tie new restrictions on the movement of animals to a successful(?!) BREXIT they will win the election. The head of Compassion in World Farming has said that Gove is the best SoS we’ve ever had!
I have a loads of time of CiWF but really – I mean if the voter falls for this……well………!?
It’s the soft mitten surrounding the fist of steel
Or soemthing close to that
And people are fools to fall for it
But they will
Richard- You have spotted the truth there. No matter how nonsensical or absurd or patently wrong something is , there will always be some people ready to believe it, simply because they WANT to believe it. Like poor fools suffering from an illness, they will believe a charlatan who says he can cure them before they believe a doctor who tells them he can’t.
So the first thing a Labour govt does is reinstate, or improve, UK workers’ rights.
The Tories have removed all sorts of workplace protections as well as free access to tribunals and legal aid, and turned a blind eye to some of the most egregious practices of the gig economy – all of which has occurred whilst ‘enjoying’ full EU membership.
If UK workers want decent pay, rights, and working conditions, then, post-Brexit, they will need to take responsibility for themselves and bloody well vote for a party that will offer them, instead of irresponsibly toying with the Tories and UKIP, and then relyng on the minimal palliative care offered by an otherwise neo-liberal EU matron.
UK workers will get the the rights and conditions they vote for.
But labour need to be selling this, now
“But Labour need to be selling this now.”
Absolutely.
I am one of the 48% who voted to remain, and I am unrepentant, and unreconciled to leaving the EU. I might add that it appears I shall lose my EU citizenship through Brexit, which is effectively being seized by the British Government in an act that I consider is no better than piracy, which I deeply resent: my citizenship is personal. Apart from the vote in the House of Commons last week (led by Dominic Grieve), could you please tell me what – precisely – has the Labour Party done for the 48%? Or is that now over 50%, and rising?
Had the Labour Party been “up to” the task of opposition, I do not believe that we would be in the mess we are now in; and I am sick and tired of being told by one collection or another (they are all examples at bottom, of the same blueprint British exceptionalism) of Micawberish, over-optimistic, theory-laden, speculation – spinning Utopian webs in the breeze – that Brexit (depending on their particular have-all-the-answers theoretical notion), will be all right on the night.
Fortunately I am saved from believing all that windy British exceptionalism by an essential dose of sobering Pyrrhonism.
Signed 😉
🙂
For all the good or bad things the EU might bring it is fundamentally flawed as a concept and is held together by game theory between the member states as the stronger states subsidise the weaker states who cannot reprice their goods and services due to the single currency. For an insight into the economic damage and inequality caused by the Euro then please read Stiglitz: the problem with the euro is the euro.
But the EU is not the euro
You are right but at the heart of the EU is monetary union and a single currency. It usurps everything else in terms of economic impact in its member states. In fact the weaker states have effectively sacrificed their fiscal independence to (in return for subsidies). At inception the EU was so loaded in favour of Germany and so it still is. Anyone endorsing the virtues of “Europe” is giving an endorsement and an acceptance of the inequality that follows.
I do not agree
That is how it is
But it need not be so
It’s absurd to say otherwise
But Richard, you are talking about a Europe that doesn’t exist -the real one pays lip-service to certain working rights whilst:
Forcing countries into ‘internal devaluation’.
Maintains appallingly high levels of unemployment (Spain youth 38.2/Italy youth:35.7/France youth 22%/Portugal 25.6/Greece youth 40.2)
Germany: vicious welfare reforms (Harz 2004) increasing inequality there/crumbling infrastructure.
Greece: Healthcare disaster. The debt and suffering could be stopped by a few keyboard strokes.
Mass emigration from Ireland/Portugal/Latvia (Now slowing).
You know this Richard-yet you still think the EU is somehow viable? No wonder the flag is a circle of stars-one has to be a bit dazed to believe in it!
There’s no point in positing a ‘Platonic EU’ – we need to look at the actuality.
The Left is failing everywhere in the EU. Only the UK has a viable Left at present that challenges neo-liberalism (even if their economic framing leaves a lot to be desired).
I still say-get the hell out of this neo-liberal oligarchy and start fiscal expansion/challenge rentierism /and get our welfare state back on its feet.
The rest of Europe will notice! But it’s probably too late-austerity combined with large-scale immigration has seen to that. The neo-libs never know when to end their party so push it all too far until extremism erupts.
Of course Europe is viable! It has to be – we know the alternative
That does not mean what we have is desirable
My point is simple. We can retreat if we wish but it will not go away. Or we can change it
Now you tell me which one is better
And I do believe change is possible
It always is
Don’t agree with what? That for a single currency to work all countries need the same productive capability? Or that the euro is responsible for mass youth unemployment in Spain, Greece & Italy? Or that it only exists through “subsidies” to the weaker nations..it is an economic mess with catastrophic consequences…Stiglitz have expressed this brilliantly. I fail to understand how anyone with any understanding of economics can fail to see this.
A loose trade and political can have significant benefits but this is not what we have.
The EU need not have a euro
The UK need never be in it
You’re making up scenarios that need not endure or don’t exist
I don’t dispute the harm
Are you saying nothing can be done about it?
Why?
Is that as far as your internationalism goes?
Better to scrap what we have now and build new alliances. One country (UK?) needs to demonstrate that Governments can create jobs, training, social services and de-financialise the system. The EU is showing zero sign of that.
There is no real Left in the EU -look at Schulz in Germany-pathetic!
‘You’re making up scenarios that need not endure or don’t exist’
The problem is that so much has been invested emotionally in the Euro as currency they won’t let it go easily even with years of evidence that it doesn’t work.
Yes something can be done..Campaign to get monetary rid of union/ single currency. To do do is to campaign against the inequality it brings.
Then have a mechanisms to facilitate trade across the region (uniform trading standards etc).
The vested interest of Germany makes this unlikely.
Dammit
I don’t accept ‘unlikely’
That’s not my approach
Of course it’s unlikely if you don’t try
“The EU need not have a euro… …I don’t dispute the harm… …Are you saying nothing can be done about it?”
“Of course it’s unlikely if you don’t try.”
Richard, just so I’m clear rather than simply reading between the lines – are you against, and/or campaigning against, the Single Currency/ Monetary Union in Europe?
I have always completely opposed the single currency
It was madness from first principles onwards
“I have always completely opposed the single currency
It was madness from first principles onward”
I’m glad you have said that, and you are quite right to do so, though – and forgive me if I’m wrong – I have to say that it’s not something I feel you have made particularly clear in the last year or two since I have been following your blog – hence my asking the question!
In view of the fact that the Euro has become such a fundamental factor of EU Membership (and any new members will need to join it), although there have been opt-outs of course, what possible chances do you think are there that this damaging construction can or will be voluntarily dismantled?
Who in the EU is campaigning to leave, or discontinue, the Euro, apart from some of the more unsavoury parties of the extreme right? I’m unaware of any credible organisation or grouping, but I am happy to be informed of their existence?
But do they have any traction? Are they at all likely to succeed?
From my (admittedly ignorant) viewpoint, given the current state of EU leadership, I would doubt it very much.
Sweden
Denmark
And a host of other states
Of course there is opposition
And my position has always been unambiguous I would have thought
Most people think getting rid of the WTD is a good idea!
“stopping us working when we want” is the way they think.
The S** is a classic example of newspaper lies.
The WTD has been about so long that you would have thought most would know something about it by now.
Everyone can opt-out of the WTD, and most did. Most also did not need to, but did anyway.
It was always 48-hours averaged over either a 17 week period, or a 52 week period (by choice).
So working 40 hours a week for 10 weeks, leaves you 59 hours for each of the remaining 7 weeks. All within the allowed time.
But I suspect that the idea of removing the WTD is more to do with holidays…prior to the directive, loads of people had no written terms of employment….they did after, otherwise their employer had to pay them an average of their pay for the preceding 17 weeks as holiday pay…
I understand the conservative party is having several million cloth caps made, in China, so that doffing can be resurrected after leaving the EU, along with Droit du seigneur as a replacement workplace directive.
I agree re the actual hours issue
But as you say it was always much more than that
Who is exactly campaigning to allow the EU to exist without the single currency? I don’t hear anyone..this is the key issue..and back to the original message re explotation.. whether it is true or not it is a tiny side issue compared to the way Germany has exploited less productive nations through a single currency..
I accept Germany has
But have they decided to stop it?
No it isn’t, Germany gets wealthier by the day at the expense of others. Any supporters of the EU are endorsing the enormous inequality it has generated.
I am sorry, but this is a ridiculous claim for sound economic reasons, like productivity differences that would make Germany richer come what may
Germany is productive for various reasons, including great respect for engineers, good training and a talented workforce, and making quality goods that people wish to buy (hence, the export surplus). (They’ve had immigration too.) If it wasn’t for the euro, the German currency (the mark) would be rising in value against other currencies as it used to before the euro came in. (The pound keeps going down. And I don’t think that devaluation has done much to help UK exports, over time.)
I think that “socialism in one country” is very hard to do nowadays, as all countries are closely connected with each other. There has been a degree of pale pink socialism in the EU (with protection of workers’ rights etc), in the context of capitalism. Many EU members have respectable welfare states. Do any have food banks, I wonder?
Hence, I remain a remainer.
Ridiculous?? What is?.. Germany has and will continue to have a massive competitive edge over other European countries and is allowed to sell its goods relatively cheaply due to the single currency..if we returned to floating the Dm would go through the roof thus eradicating excess profit and levelling the playing field with other European countries..I am virtually paraphrasing Joseph Stiglitz.. you consider his opinions ridiculous too?
I think it absurd you equate the EU and euro
I think the EU of use
The euro is not
And plenty of countries prove they are not the same thing
I do feel you are wasting my time
“Moving out of the system allows countries to choose their own interest rate and control their own monetary policy. The exchange rate is really the important one right now, because interest rates are close to zero. But in the absence of that, instead of changing your exchange rate, you lower your wages and prices. And when you do that, you simply increase your indebtedness in real terms, and make it more difficult to pay back what you owe. So you can’t dig yourself out. That’s why a political crisis broke out in Greece.” Joseph Stiglitz
One of many quotes that could be taken to emphasise the point re the single currency.. not that it should be needed as it is blindingly obvious..as I said previously monetary union should be dispensed with and a new system put in place but the vested interests of Germany won’t allow this to happen..
For heaven’s sake: I have been relentless is arguing against the single currency
Try here http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2017/08/30/a-scottish-tax-system-imagining-the-future-my-white-paper-for-common-weal/
And my books
Stop making up what you think I believe
Back to my original point then to support the EU is to endorse the single currency as it just wishful thinking to believe the two will never go hand in hand…
Respectfully David, it takes some considerable level of inability to argue that
You are banned for time wasting
Please everyone, stop this nit-picking over detail – the Euro, current trends in left/right politics, economic policies etc. is all just detail. Of course there’s plenty wrong with how the EU currently functions but let those who don’t have plenty wrong with them cast the first stones. Peaceful co-existence, mutual respect and beneficial economic cooperation between the people of Europe is still the vision and it’s still a vision worth striving for. It’s not some party frock that you send to landfill as soon as it no longer precisely suits your tastes. If the EU isn’t working properly, don’t bin it, fix it. We could if we could be bothered but we can’t be bothered. It’s easier to blame others and sulk.
Call me idealistic if you like but don’t mock. If you can no longer dream of a better way, is there really any point in anything any more.
I so agree!
Thank you very much
A point well made. Thank you, George (if I may). We need everyone who feels this way to make their voices heard; for we have listened too long to the unchallenged hysterical exaggeration of the frankly ridiculous Brexiteers.
It is important to remember that the EU is essentially a treaty framework and it’s institutions support that treaty.
The reason why the Euro exists is because a majority of the treaty members decided to give it go. The UK – presciently it turns out – decided it didn’t want to be part of that.
And as this is a treaty with members who adhere to the existence of the Euro that is how it is. But to me, the prospect of the euro being rejected and abandoned at some time is always there. Because the members of the treaty just might change their minds. They have every reason to.
The reason why the euro endures is because the member states who make up the treaty are committed to it. It is not because the of some mythological supra state called the EU.
Yes – certain states like Germany and France may have vested interests and want to retain the Euro and strong arm others into accepting it. But any member country could challenge the existence of the Euro if they wanted to. And if it/they won support from other treaty members, then the Euro might be abandoned or (more likely) the members will modify the workings of the Euro until everyone is happy – or happier. Which is what treaties are about aren’t they?
The talk I hear about the existence of the Euro needing closer political ties between states is something that I do worry about.
It is the ECB that needs reforming in my view and the ex-private bankers there need to be removed post haste. In fact’ I’d like to the ECB wound up completely.
I’d rather see some form of devolution to member States so that they can print the euros they need to meet domestic need/crises. This also could be controlled by agreement amongst member state’s central banks – not the ECB.
But again I say that the reason why the workings of the EU have a neo-liberal tinge to them is because it is made up of states who practice neo-liberal themed polices.
Therefore change in the EU can only start ‘at home’ – within the member states themselves.
Contracts of employment are voluntarily entered into by employers and employees and such contracts are not appropriate for Governments to regulate, far less unelected foreign bureaucrats.
If I wish to contract with my employer to work for 60 hours next week it is no business of the U.K. government, the EU commission or even Richard Murphy!!!
Absolute nonsense
You completely ignore asymmetries of power
Next you’ll have children up chimneys
With respect, stop making a fool of yourself