Józef Niemiec (send a mail

"Flexicurity" is the name given to a form of labour market organisation combining a flexible labour force able to adapt to new markets and technologies, with security that guarantees workers’ living and working standards. It also implies greater flexibility of working time, enabling people to reconcile employment with family and other responsibilities. The idea of flexicurity derived from successful models in the Netherlands and in Nordic countries.

However, the current flexicurity debate favours business at the expense of workers, placing greater emphasis on relaxing rules for hiring and firing, on dismantling labour standards and job protection, and imposing tough conditions for social support, thereby providing business with the opportunity to downgrade the quality of jobs and work contracts.

The ETUC insists that labour market reform must focus on creating better jobs, protecting vulnerable workers and reducing precarious work in Europe, on major investment in lifelong learning, gender equality and social dialogue at all levels. Only in this way will Europe be able to deal with the challenge of global competition.