European Court of Justice: Advocates General issue opinions in industrial action cases

On 23 May 2007, European Court of Justice (ECJ) Advocates General gave their opinions on two important cases that relate to the relationship between workers’ rights to take industrial action and EU law on free movement and “economic freedoms” in the single market.

Case C-438/05 (International Transport Workers’ Federation and Finnish Seamen’s Union v Viking Line ABP and OU Viking Line Eesti ) relates to attempts by a Finnish shipping line, Viking, to “reflag” the Rosella, a Finland-registered ferry, as an Estonian vessel, allowing it to replace the largely Finnish crew with Estonian seafarers employed on lower Estonian pay.