[throwawaycopter]

> How is this legal, in the famously pro-labor EU?

Because it's actually pro-labor.

I go into a job knowing an employer cannot simply fire me out of the blue. Meaning I have a little stability to be able to plan my life a few months in advance.

The fact that Europe has a strong labor laws, worker unions and such is the reason why I chose to migrate to Europe and disregarded the US as a destination. A decision I never came to regret, by the way.

Keep that awful "at will employment" to your side of the pond, thank you.

[cassianoleal]

> Keep that awful "at will employment" to your side of the pond, thank you.

The UK has zero-hour contracts, which I think is in the same spirit.

It won't surprise me if other European countries either already have or will soon have similar arrangements. It's a sad reality, honestly.

[throwawaycopter]

The UK, thankfully, is not part of the EU anymore however.

I don't think labor protections are eroding however. Those tend to be very popular among the population here.

Perhaps I am wrong? Do you have more information about this?

I know that there are some leeways to avoid labor protections in some places, such as being employed as a temporary contractor, but I understand there are some limitations to this practice.

[cassianoleal]

> thankfully

Lol not sure if you're an anti-UK EU member or a Brexiter. Not that it matters, really.

> I don't think labor protections are eroding however.

If you mean in the UK, then they definitely are. Zero hour contracts are more or less the worst parts of being an employee with the worst parts of being self-employed, all turned up to 11. At least that's what I've heard from a lot of people on them.

> Those tend to be very popular among the population here.

I'm not sure where 'here' means in this context but honestly I imagine the only country in the world where labour protections are impopular (are they really? no idea...) is the US.

> Do you have more information about this?

More or less anecdotal but yeah - like I said above, people on zero hours tend to have it pretty rough.

> being employed as a temporary contractor

This is me. Not to avoid labour protections, but rather to have more autonomy. I like not having a boss. I like not having to go through the yearly grind of performance reviews. I like being able to take (unpaid) time off more or less when I feel like it.

There are drawbacks but for my needs and wants I find the tradeoffs to be pretty good.