The Council of the EU, which represents the member states in EU decision-making, has approved an agreed text for a new posted workers directive. Thus it should soon be EU law that posted workers must be paid the same as local workers – so long as the European Parliament also gives its approval. In many ways this reform is a victory for unions, since it should offer workers from all EU states protection from exploitation and unfair competition. However, the text approved by the Council retains an exemption for road transport workers. Their pay will depend on the upcoming mobility package.
Eduardo Chagas, General Secretary of the European Transport Workers’ Federation, expressed frustration that drivers are excluded from the deal. “Of course we welcome the EU’s steps towards guaranteeing all workers the same pay for the same work in the same place. That’s only fair for both local and posted workers. But we are disappointed that the Council has confirmed the stitch-up excluding road transport workers from the new rules. Are some workers more equal than others?
Fair pay for professional drivers now depends on the Mobility Package currently being finalised by the EU Institutions. At the moment its provisions on pay are disappointing, but we have extremely high expectations that future drafts will bring remuneration rules for drivers up the same standard being guaranteed to all other workers.”