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Addressing a European trades union gathering in Paris, the
conservative former Luxembourg premier also criticized a trend
away from long-term employment contracts toward short-term
hiring and said the latter should not become the norm.
"We, the European Commission, will propose in spring 2016 a
pillar of minimum labor rights, a protective cordon around the
labor market," he said, adding that it would set labor norms
that "cannot be adjusted downwards".
"In doing so," he said, "We will add to convergence in the
employment sphere in Europe."
Juncker, who took over the EU executive 11 months ago, has said
recently he would propose harmonizing employment standards,
though there has so far been little detail on the plan.
The issue is particularly sensitive at present since Britain's
conservative government is trying to negotiate terms of
membership before holding a referendum on whether to stay in the
EU. Employment regulation from Brussels is unpopular on the
right in Britain, though favored by many opponents on the left.
In a reference which an EU official said was to workers being
posted abroad, Juncker said he wanted to see a level playing
field on pay: "In Europe, we must finally agree on a simple
principle: the same pay for the same job wherever it is."
(Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey; Writing by Alastair Macdonald;
Editing by Catherine Evans)
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