EuroCommerce, the body which represents the retail sector in Europe, has said that some of the proposed amendments to the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive will act against the interests of both temporary and permanent workers in the European retail sector.
The amendments will impact the hiring of young workers employed on contracts up to eight hours per week, and restrain retailers from hiring extra staff to meet peak demand, or replace sick employees.
EuroCommerce director general, Christian Verschueren, said, “By removing the flexibility needed by the sector to employ extra staff at peak times such as Christmas, the Parliament is putting at risk not only temporary jobs, but the future of retailers with permanent employees as well.”
‘A Step In The Wrong Direction’
The move will act against the interests of younger people, especially those that work a limited number of hours in shops and supermarkets alongside their studies.
Apart from losing a source of income, many will also miss out on a formative, first-job experience in the retail sector that is essential for future professional endeavours, EuroCommerce said.
“Our sector employs 29 million Europeans, and one in five of every young person employed in Europe. The sector faces a major challenge in the shift to online sales and further competitive pressure on its margins,” Verschueren said.
The body has also pointed out that the latest move ‘is a step in the wrong direction', as youth unemployment in many EU countries is still very high.
Impact On Employers
EuroCommerce has pointed out that the amendments will also impact employers. Introducing minimum guaranteed paid hours and ratcheting up the fixed hours of workers will severely undermine the current use of flexible working arrangements offered by retailers.
Employers may be forced to use temporary contracts instead of offering more predictable open-ended contracts, even in the case of part-time positions.
"Undermining the position of retailers in the name of protecting employee rights does little for either permanent and temporary staff if the result is their shop closing, and them losing their jobs,” Verschueren added.
The body believes that the proposed changes are complex and intrusive, and unnecessary at the EU level.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
