Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0055/00559.txt

Text File | 1991-06-24 | 27KB | 478 lines

$Unique_ID{COW00559}
$Pretitle{405}
$Title{United Kingdom
Social Affairs}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Subject{community
directive
britain
member
programme
training
health
ministers
agreed
council}
$Date{1990}
$Log{}
Country:     United Kingdom
Book:        Britain in the European Community
Author:      Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Date:        1990

Social Affairs

     Article 117 of the Treaty of Rome states the need `to promote working
conditions and an improved standard of living for workers', and Article 118
entrusts the Commission with the task of promoting co-operation among member
states in employment, working conditions, vocational training (see p 28),
occupational health and safety, and social security. Article 118A reaffirms
member states' commitment to improvements in health and safety in the
workplace. In Article 119 the signatories commit themselves to the principle
that men and women should receive equal pay for equal work. The Treaty also
makes provision for the creation of a Social Fund to improve employment
opportunities for workers (Articles 123-8).

Employment

     In December 1985 the European Council agreed on the importance of
promoting flexibility in the labour market and the need to pay attention to
training. There was widespread agreement within the Community that among the
reasons for the poor functioning of the labour market over recent years are
deficiencies in training, lack of mobility, limitations on part-time working,
excessive administrative rules, and obstacles to self-employment and the
creation of new firms.

     In December 1986 employment ministers adopted a programme to tackle
unemployment. First proposed by Britain, Italy and the Irish Republic, the
programme is designed to encourage the creation of new jobs by promoting
self-employment and the development of small business; by taking positive
steps to make labour markets more efficient; by ensuring that the labour
force has the necessary skills; and by adopting and encouraging schemes to
assist long-term unemployed people.

     In December 1987 the Labour and Social Affairs Council followed up the
1986 resolution by adopting further measures to assist the long-term
unemployed, including counselling, job search programmes, training, work
experience, help for self-employment, and recruitment subsidies.

     Heads of Government have reaffirmed their commitment to job creation as
a priority. Employment issues are discussed at the regular meetings of the
Standing Employment Committee, which consists of Community employment
ministers, the Commission and representatives of employers and workforces.

     The British Government supports Community measures designed to
encourage employment growth through access to improved training, increased
labour mobility and the provision of better information on jobs. But it is
opposed to measures that would, in its view, impose further regulations and
costs upon employers and damage Community competitiveness.

Equal Opportunities

     Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome states that each member state should
apply the principle of equal pay for equal work. In February 1975 the Council
of Ministers adopted a directive providing for the elimination of sex
discrimination regarding pay, a right of equal pay for work to which equal
value is attributed, a right of access to the judicial process for workers
who consider themselves to be discriminated against, and protection against
dismissal as a reaction to a complaint or to legal proceedings aimed at
enforcing compliance. Cases can also be referred to the Court of Justice: in
1976 the Court found that the prohibition of pay discrimination between men
and women covered all such discrimination whether direct or indirect. In
February 1976 the Council of Ministers adopted a directive on the
implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women regarding
access to employment, vocational training, promotion and working conditions.

     In Britain Community law on equal opportunities is implemented by the
Equal Pay Act 1970 (as amended in 1984) and the Sex Discrimination Acts of
1975 and 1986, and by the Employment Act 1989. The Sex Discrimination Acts
make it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of sex in employment, training
and related matters (where discrimination on the grounds of marital status
is also dealt with), in education, and in the provision to the public of
goods, facilities and services. The Sex Discrimination Act 1986 also makes
it unlawful for employers to set different compulsory retirement ages for
men and women in comparable positions. Similar legislation on equal pay and
sex discrimination applies in Northern Ireland.

     A further Community directive was adopted in December 1987 on the gradual
implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women in
statutory social security schemes. Member states are obliged to eliminate
any discrimination from such schemes providing protection against sickness,
unemployment, invalidity, old age, accidents at work or occupational diseases.
There are, however, exclusions, such as the determination of pensionable age.
Britain has taken steps to implement the directive in its social security
systems.

     In June 1986 the Council of Ministers agreed on a directive for equal
treatment for men and women in occupational pension and sick pay schemes,
subject to exclusions similar to those under the December 1987 directive.
Britain has enacted legislation to implement the directive from its operative
date of 1 January 1993. In December 1986 the Council of Ministers adopted a
directive on the application of the principle of equal treatment for
self-employed men and women and on the protection of self-employed women
during pregnancy and motherhood.

     In May 1982 the Council of Ministers adopted an action programme for the
promotion of equal opportunities for women: the current phase of the programme
runs until 1990. Britain welcomes the attention given to education and
training policies, since this can expand women's occupational choice and
contribute to a more flexible labour market. There are single sex and reserved
places for young women in government youth training schemes; there is also
special provision for women within its Employment Training programme.

Health and Safety at Work

     The first health and safety measures were taken under the Treaty of Paris
in the coal industry, where work was concentrated on mine safety and
elimination of dust associated with respiratory diseases. In 1978 the Council
of Ministers adopted a programme providing for the exchange of knowledge,
harmonised action against dangerous substances, limitations on noise levels in
workplaces, and the drawing up of schemes providing information on safety to
particular groups of workers.

     Britain took a constructive part in discussions on a directive adopted in
1982 designed to deal with major accident hazards of certain substances; it
recognises the obligation of member states to consult their neighbours in
cases affecting them jointly and requires safety assessments and emergency
plans to be prepared for certain hazardous industrial activities. Also
adopted was a directive setting Community standards to protect workers from
lead. From 1980 the British Government pressed for early action on proposals
to protect workers from asbestos and to restrict the marketing and use of
asbestos products. In 1983 two directives tackled these problems: the first
sets maximum limits to exposure to asbestos at work and the second prohibits
the use of blue asbestos and products containing it.

     In May 1986 the Council of Ministers agreed a directive on the protection
of workers from the risks related to exposure to noise at work. This aims
to reduce hearing damage caused by high noise levels by controlling exp