Verbatim report of proceedings

Thursday, 19 January 2023 - Strasbourg

Revision of the European Works Councils Directive (debate)

  Seán Kelly (PPE), blue-card reply. – Yes, fair point. Obviously the EPP has a very good approach to industrial development and ensuring that jobs are a priority. One of the points often made by our leader Manfred Weber is ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’. But obviously conditions have to come with those jobs, and obviously there is a responsibility both on employers and employees. And I think by having this working directive, where we all agree on what should be done, that is very clear in relation to people’s rights, then that will be absolutely a positive.

Sanctions may or may not be necessary, but that would be a last resort. Everybody knows the key to good industrial relations is to have a good relationship, to sit down and negotiate and come to an agreement. I’ve seen that in Ireland over the last number of years, and it has worked very well. If there’s mutual respect – that’s the key: mutual respect between workers and employers – then I think we will have a very good situation in Ireland and in the rest of Europe.