EU Employment Laws applicable to all - Empey

Employment Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today reminded employers of their obligation to comply with all employment rights legislation.

Sir Reg said: “There has been much comment in recent days about the employment of workers in the United Kingdom who are not UK citizens. Industrial action has been taken at different locations throughout the UK in support of workers at an energy site in North Lincolnshire.

“As Minister with responsibility for employment matters, and lead responsibility for migrant workers in Northern Ireland, I must point out that there is an existing and comprehensive framework of legislation governing employment and recruitment practices in Northern Ireland. Much of this legislation derives from the UK Government's international obligations under the EU Treaty.”

The Minister added: “Much has been made of the phrase 'British jobs for British workers' implying that local people should have priority for jobs over those from other EU countries or those legitimately in the UK workforce. This is not possible, nor is this necessarily desirable. Migrants who are legally entitled to work here have the same employment rights as local workers. I would point out that many thousands of workers from Northern Ireland have jobs and contracts in other parts of the EU and beyond, and would be adversely affected if similar approaches were adopted in other countries. Commentators now routinely compare this downturn to the 1930s Great Depression. If we learned anything from the outcomes and policy mistakes of the 1930s it is that beggar my neighbour policies of economic protectionism and nationalism are ultimately self defeating and leave us all worse off.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Migrant workers who are working legally in NI have the same employment rights as all other workers. These include the right to receive a statement of employment particulars, the National Minimum Wage, holiday entitlement, and to benefit from Working Time, health and safety and employment agency legislation.
2. Estimates from the Labour Force Survey (for Quarter 3, July-September 2008) based on country of birth (ie non UK/Ireland) suggest that there were around 42,000 migrant workers in NI. This figure is sourced to a sample survey and is therefore subject to sampling error.
3. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned