Do you remember the outrage from the Tories, the CBI and the right-wing media when the EU imposed the Working Time Directive and various Health and Safety Directives? Many of the benefits and protections that British workers currently enjoy would not have happened if we hadn't been in the EU.
Free movement is about people being allowed to travel and work freely throughout Europe. I'm outraged that my children will no longer be able to take advantage of it.
Ok Strolls…just wasted 2 hours of my life in a film that I never wanted to see, so here’s why I have my views on free movement.
I feel, rightly or wrongly, that free movement of labour is not only detrimental to the workers in this country but also detrimental to the countries of migrant workers, through any skilled labour leaving to work abroad, thus starving their country of a much needed skilled workforce.
Of course in the country where these workers, prepared to work for a far less wage and conditions, arrive in, wages are artificially brought downwards and ruthless employers are happy to exploit immigrant workers for profit.
You only have to look at the construction industry, where average wages have recently risen substantially (sorry in Prezzos so can’t look up the source). This I feel will soon have to be replicated in other industries such as hospitality and haulage to entice people to take up these sort of jobs….something that has been surely lacking through poor pay….surely everyone deserves a decent wage for a decent days work ?
Of course the Conservatives will do anything possible to put down workers rights etc and that’s where the battle now lies…..through a stronger Trade Union and urging the younger generation to actually join a Union in the first place.
The EU really wasn’t a friend to the worker…however much the Neo-liberal elite like to tell us it was
