EU ruling could force the experienced into retirement

Wednesday, July 27 2011

West Midlands MEP Mike Nattrass has attacked a controversial EU ruling which could force older workers into retirement.

The UKIP MEP says that the UK has sufficient Employment Law without allowing yet more confusion from the European Court of Justice (ECJ.)

Mr Nattrass' comments follow a new ECJ ruling giving employers leeway to justify compulsory retirement at the age of 65.

The Age and Employment Network (TAEN), this week stated that the ruling appears to indicate that a retirement age can potentially be justified ‘to encourage the promotion of a younger workforce’.

Mr Nattrass said: “Long serving employees offering a wealth of skills, who are valued by the employer, should be able to continue if that is the joint wish and there is no need for legal compulsion in these matters. We do not need EU rulings to confuse the issue.

“You only have to look at the manufacturing sector where older members of staff train the younger employees to see the value of experience.

“In April the Government scrapped the default retirement age of 65 but here we have an EU ruling which suggests a retirement age could encourage the promotion of a younger workforce. Where is the consistency in that?

“Our laws and rules should be made in Westminster, not by interfering Brussels’ bureaucrats. It is the out of date EU that should be put on the retired list, not hard working, dedicated and experienced workers.”

For more information about the European Court of Justice ruling log on to the TAEN website at www.taen.org.uk