On top of the internal market, the single currency and legal proceedings to weaken the bargaining power of trade unions, the process of globalization is providing business with even more leeway to undermine the bargaining position of workers. The threat of delocalizing business to China where tens of millions of workers are available to work for a few cents an hour is a very convincing threat for individual workers. And the argument that the European economy will also benefit from the emerging economic by importing machines and luxury products made in China, thereby creating jobs in other segments of the economy, is not very convincing for workers faced with the blackmail from their employer of longer unpaid working hours or plant closure.