The European Commission must ensure that EU-rules on posting of workers are not abused by companies to break legal strikes, such as we have recently seen Tesla do it in Sweden.
This is the clear message in a letter sent from the leading Nordic LEFT Members of the European Parliament to Nicolas Schmit, the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, today.
Per Clausen from Denmark makes the intentions behind the official letter clear:
We cannot stand by in silence while we see EU rules are being abused to undermine the rights of workers and the fundamental right to strike. This is an American company coming in and saying they refuse to play by the rules in place in Europe. We cannot let them – or others like them – abuse the EU-rules to undermine European trade union rights.
That the letter is being sent right now is no coincidence, and comes after the American Tesla company in Sweden is being accused of trying to undermine a legitimate strike by using temporarily posted workers as strike breakers.
On the clear need for action on the issue Jonas Sjöstedt from Sweden says:
I have been a picket guard at Tesla in Umeå in northern Sweden. I have seen how strike breakers have been hired to circumvent the strike. It is unacceptable that an EU law such as the directive on the posting of workers is being misused to undermine the right to strike.
Finland’s Li Andersson points out that there the letter is both about addressing the current European Commission, as well as influencing the political plans for the next five years:
Writing the letter now is to demand action now, but in equal measures it is to remind the next European Commission that this is an issue that has to be addressed. We cannot have EU-rules being used to undermine workers’ rights.
The letter to Commissioner Schmit can be found here: Nordic letter to Commissioner Schmit
More about the letter
You can read more about the letter in the article from AgencEurope, 28, June 2024: Three elected members of The Left are concerned about misuse of European rules on posting of workers to violate right to strike.
Update on the Tesla case: Parliamentary question
1. Mobility Watch, 22. July 2024: Partier kræver opgør med Teslas “åbenlyse angreb” på Europas arbejdsmarked.
2. Policy Watch, 23. July 2024: Svensk minister: Vi har ingen planer om at gribe ind overfor Tesla
3. AgencEurope 25. July 2024: Three members of The Left in European Parliament ask European Commission to look into whether car manufacturer Tesla respects right to strike.
4. Dagens Arbete, 26. July 2024: Sjöstedt (V) kräver att EU-kommissionen stoppar Teslas strejkbryteri.
