ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of the development of 'EU Labour Law' is outlined, and relevant Treaty provisions, secondary legislation, and Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) decisions. It considers the 'autonomous' nature of labour law, and how this fits with the role of the EU in labour relations. The chapter analyses developments in the labour relations field post-Lisbon, where economic interests and labour rights intersect, and note that decisions of the CJEU tend to move, albeit not definitively, in the direction of undercutting labour rights at national level. It explores 'direct attacks' on this autonomy in terms of the interpretation of treaty articles, and secondary legislation, as well as 'indirect attacks', most notably those institutionalised as a response to the socio-economic crisis that erupted in 2008, and manifested in the new economic governance arrangements. The chapter describes a closer examination of, and greater respect for, not norms or ideals, but the crucial roles of actors and institutions.
