ECJ RULING ON VIKING LINE

Early day motion 597, tabled 17 December 2007 by Kelvin Hopkins (Labour). Signed by 29 members.

That this House expresses its concern about the European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgment made on 11th December against the Finnish seafarers' right to take action on the grounds of employers' freedom of establishment; notes specifically that this ruling would allow Viking Line to ignore collective agreements made with Finnish unions, re-flag its vessels to Estonia and recruit local crews on lower rates of pay; notes that at the same time the ECJ recognised that the right to take industrial action is a `fundamental right of overriding public importance'; is further concerned that this contradictory judgment has profound longer term implications as courts and legislators may in future take the judgment as a licence to undermine industrial action and decide the legality of industrial action under EC law; considers that this judgment provides further evidence that the European Union is increasingly promoting a neo-liberal economic agenda which will further restrict and weaken trade union and worker rights; believes that this process will be strengthened with further integration of the European Union under the Lisbon Treaty; and therefore calls for a referendum on the Treaty as a matter of urgency.

Signatures by party: Labour 25, Liberal Democrat 2, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1.