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Unions may take action if the aim is to protect workers' rights (Photo: EUobserver)

Unions may take action over cheap labour, EU court says

by Honor Mahony, Brussels,

Europe's highest court has ruled that trade unions have a right to collective action to prevent their employers from hiring cheaper labour from other member states.

But the keenly awaited ruling, delivered Tuesday (11 December), says that the industrial action can only be taken as a measure to protect existing work conditions and not as a tool to prevent a company from moving to another member state, even if that country has weaker labour rights.

Dating back to 2003, the case invo...

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Unions may take action if the aim is to protect workers' rights (Photo: EUobserver)

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