Degrees of Inclusion: Free Movement of Labour and the Unionization of Migrant Workers in the European Union

Abstract

This article discusses the shifting boundaries of inclusion and exclusion of migrant workers in trade unions. Drawing on the example of Luxembourg, an EU Member State with a long history of international migrations, the article examines the relationship between free movement of labour and the unionization of migrant workers before analysing the degree to which migrant workers' access to social rights is accompanied by their access to effective decision-making rights in trade unions. Trade unions have used European regulations on the free movement of labour as a legal infrastructure to develop services for migrant workers. At the same time, the free movement of labour and equality of treatment have come to permeate trade union strategies and rhetoric. However, with regard to the inclusion of migrant workers in decision-making processes and access to leadership positions, numerous obstacles to effective participation by migrant workers persist.

The Features of Labor Emigration From the Slovak Republic

“…Bahna (2011) defines migration as "the process of relocation of people outside the territory of residence, permanent or temporary, for a longer or shorter period of time". Migration is also a response to changes in living conditions, caused by population growth, development of production and trade, formation of countries, states, nations, climatic conditions, as well as violent causes, such as war (Thomas 2016, Divinský 2005, Vojtovič 2013, Strielkowskia and Bilan 2016, Zabarauskaitė and Skačkauskienė 2014. Jeníček and Foltýnet (2010) considers migration as a "reaction of humanity on unequal distribution of resources, services and opportunities".…”

Addressing seeming paradoxes by embracing them: small state theory and the integration of migrants

“…The area covers 65,401 km 2 , with a population of approximately 11.2 million inhabitants. Most importantly, almost 200,000 commuters cross the borders into Luxembourg on a daily basis as the Greater Region provides the country with an important source of labor, especially in the service sector (see Thomas 2016 ).…”

“…However, the system of social rights in the Greater Region of Luxembourg has penalized these workers (or prioritzed national laws and regulations). Thomas ( 2016 ) has shown how the Luxembourgish state had withheld educational subsidies for the children of cross-border workers, initially defying an order from the European Court of Justice. Clément ( 2013 ), summarizes the situation by stating that “Cross-border workers contribute fully to integration, but are not fully entitled to benefits,” thus promoting uneven development in the Greater Region.…”

Labour Migration Trends in the Slovak Republic

“…The most common categorization takes into account geographical aspect of human mobility, and thus international migration, internal migration and cross-border migration are distinguished. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) defines international migration as "the movement of a person or a group of persons from one geographical unit to another across an administrative or political border, for temporary or permanent settlement, in a place other than their place of origin" (IOM, 2003;Divinský, 2009;Vojtovič, 2013;Thomas, 2016).…”