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Flashcards in Social Chapter Deck (20)
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1
Q

What are the provisions in the Social Chapter?

A

Some of its provisions include fair remuneration of employment, health and safety at work, rights of disabled and elderly, maximum working week

2
Q

Advantages of the Social Chapter

• Improved working condition

A

It has improved the working conditions of employees across the EU – examples such as the minimum wage and increased parental leave may be offered.

3
Q

Impact of the the Social Chapter on doctors

A

The Social Chapter has particularly affected workers in specific sectors such as Junior Doctors (working hours) and workers in low paid industries like catering and hospitality.

4
Q

Success of the Social Chapter

• Labour rights

A

It ‘evens the playing field’ within the EU by preventing individual countries from undercutting others with lower labour costs or lower employment protection

5
Q

What did the UK agree to do in the Schengen Agreement?

A

The UK agreed to the extension of the Schengen Agreement, which planned completely free movement of people and equal citizenship rights throughout the EU

6
Q

How has the Treaty of Amsterdam improve social rights?

A

The Amsterdam Treaty further extended rights in areas, such as consumer protection and freedom of information, but this largely confirmed previous agreements

7
Q

EU institutions protecting citizens’ rights

• The EP and Council of Ministers

A

The European Parliament and Council of Ministers cover policy areas, such as consumer protection and equal opportunities

8
Q

Eu institutions protection citizens’ rights

• The ECJ

A

The ECJ gives individuals and organisations a body to appeal to.

9
Q

The history of the Social Chapter

A

The Social Chapter was adopted after the introduction of the single market, with a UK and Ireland opt out

10
Q

Controversy of the Social Chapter

• Extended rules and regulations

A

It has extended EU rules and regulations into new areas that erode sovereignty (in which John Major refused to sign it

11
Q

Controversy of the Social Chapter

• Reducing competitive

A

It can have the effect of reducing competitive advantage in countries that keep business overheads to a minimum by increasing labour costs, reducing flexibility and causing unemployment because of increased labour costs

12
Q

Disadvantages of the Social Chapter

• In comparison to other countries

A

It makes the EU as a whole uncompetitive compared to other economic powers that do not operate such tight labour regulations, such as China, Russian and the USA

13
Q

Controversy of the Social Chapter

• ‘Social dumping’

A

It increases the risk of ‘social dumping’, with companies moving to those parts of the EU with lower costs

14
Q

Controversy of labour mobility within the EU

• Brain drain

A

It has led to a “brain drain” of the more highly qualified people who have taken advantage of opportunities to work in other parts of the EU

15
Q

Controversy of labour mobility within the EU

• loss of traditional cultures

A

It has led to complaints about the loss of traditional cultures, and an expansion of international crime

16
Q

Controversy of labour mobility within the EU

• Increase competition

A

It has led to a sharp increase in competition for jobs and public services, particularly amongst unskilled labour, where wage rates have been suppressed

17
Q

The European social chapter and other EU directives had secured:
• paid leave

A

28 days of paid leave and a limit on working hours for more than 26 million employees

18
Q

The European social chapter and other EU directives had secured:
• Part-time workers

A

Eight million part-time workers being given equal rights with full-time colleagues

19
Q

The European social chapter and other EU directives had secured:
• Maternity leave

A

Guaranteed maternity leave rights that are used by 340,000 women every year

20
Q

Achievement of Social Chapter

• part-time workers

A

The right of part-time workers to join occupational pension schemes was determined by rulings of the ECJ, which found that excluding them constituted indirect sex discrimination