All the hype around Ireland’s presidency of the EU cannot cloud the fact that ordinary workers are the big losers in the eurozone.
All the hype around Ireland’s presidency of the EU cannot cloud the fact that ordinary workers are the big losers in the eurozone.
The stupid EU Working Time Act has cut worker’s overtime, and while EU competitiveness has brought down prices in some areas, it has also led to wage cut, as companies compete with each other.
The Working Time Act should be scrapped, and workers should be allowed to do ample overtime when necessary. Moreover, pay increases should be back on the table.
The alternative is that the EU will become a low-wage zone and a rich man’s club. It is a very bad reflection on the EU when young people have to emigrate to Australia, Canada, and New Zealand to earn a decent wage.
Patrick Confrey
Rathfarnman, Dublin 14