1. What's Left for ‘Social Europe’? Brexit and Transnational Labour Market Regulation in the UK-1 and the EU-27
- Author
-
Lindstrom, Nicole
- Subjects
Government ,Liberalization ,05 social sciences ,Geography, Planning and Development ,Veto ,Opposition (politics) ,Context (language use) ,Development ,050601 international relations ,0506 political science ,Brexit ,Political economy ,Political science ,Political Science and International Relations ,050602 political science & public administration ,Member state ,media_common.cataloged_instance ,European union ,media_common - Abstract
The paper examines UK government positions on the regulation of transnational labour in the context of Brexit. Through an analysis of EU regulations on posted workers–the practice whereby a company based in one EU member state sends workers to carry out a service in another EU member state–the paper argues that the UK has consistently advocated further liberalisation of transnational labour markets in EU level decision-making, a position consistent with promoting increasingly ‘flexible’ labour markets at home. Brexit marks a turning point. Demands from British workers for stronger protection against liberalising pressure help explain the UK's recent shift towards relaxing its opposition to ‘market-correcting’ EU initiatives like the revised posted worker directive. Brexit provides a window of opportunity for the revitalisation of ‘Social Europe’ in the EU-27, without a longstanding veto player at the bargaining table, but one more likely focused more on upholding national labour protections than initiating new supranational policies.
- Published
- 2018
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