Brussels, 09/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - Labour law reform should focus on protecting workers in "atypical forms" of employment - such as part-time, casual, temporary and fixed-term contract work - and on making it easier to switch between various types of employment and unemployment, says a resolution adopted by the European Parliament (EP) on Tuesday 6 July. The resolution, drafted by Pascale Gruny (EPP, France) addresses atypical contracts, secured professional paths, flexicurity and new forms of social dialogue.
What is meant by an atypical contract is part-time work, casual work, temporary work, work under fixed-term contracts, home working and teleworking, say MEPs.
They call on the Commission and national governments to tackle the situation with regard to “outsiders” (employees with atypical or “very atypical” contracts) and to ensure that their rights and social-protection requirements are balanced with those of the “insiders”. They emphasise that, for most jobs, contracts of indefinite duration should continue to be the norm, and that “flexicurity” cannot work without strong social protection. (G.B./transl.rt)