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2.Systematisationoftheprinciplesoflabourlaw
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2.Systematisationoftheprinciplesoflabourlaw
Theconceptoflabourlawprinciplesisnotuniform.Differentcategoriesofthese
principlesaredistinguishedonthebasisofvariouscriteriaandforvariouspurposes.
Hencethereisaneedfortheirsystematisation.Byreferencetothegeneraltheoretical
background,theprinciplesoflabourlawaredivided(dependingonthesourceofin-
spiration)intoprinciples-norms(normativeprinciples)andpostulateprinciples,or
directiveandnon-directive(descriptive)principles.Inthelabourlawscholarlyworks,
theadvisabilityofdistinguishingthepostulateprinciplesisrightlyquestioned.Ingen-
eral,theyindicatethefunctionofnormativeprinciples(forexample,theyareguidelines
inthelegislativeprocessorthelabourlawinterpretationdirective).Alsodistinguish-
ingthedescriptivenormsisnotgenerallyaccepted.However,itseemsthatsuchnorms
couldplayanimportantroleasregardscharacterisationofkeyconstructsoflabourlaw
andmight,therefore,beusefulforacademicanddidacticpurposesinthefieldofla-
bourlaw.Consideringtheabove,furthercommentswillfocusonnormativeprinciples.
Oneofthemajorcriteriaofsystematisationoftheprinciplesoflabourlawistherank
ofthelegalprovisions(atypeofalegalact)onthebasisofwhichtheyaredistinguished
inthelegalsystem.Therefore,thefirsttobedefinedaretheconstitutionalprinciples
oflabourlaw.Certainconstitutionalprinciplesareimportantforthewholelegalsystem,
andhenceforlabourlaw.Thesecertainlyinclude,forexample,theprincipleofdemo-
craticruleoflawembodyingtheprincipleofsocialjustice(Article2oftheConstitution
oftheRepublicofPoland).Therefore,itwouldbedifficulttocallitaprincipleofla-
bourlaw.ItiseasytofindintheConstitutionalsointer-branchprincipleswhichare
importantforseveralareasoflaw,includinglabourlaw.Suchinter-branchprinciple
is,forexample,therighttorespectandprotectdignity(Article30oftheConstitu-
tion)ortherightofeveryhumanbeingtoprotectlife(Article38oftheConstitution).
Thesignificanceofcertainconstitutionalprinciplesisreflectedprimarilyinlabourlaw.
Inparticular,itreferstocertaineconomicandsocialrightsandfreedoms.Whatneeds
tobepointedoutisthefreedomtochooseandtopursueoccupationandtochoose
aplaceofwork(Article65oftheConstitution)ortherightofeverypersontohealthy
andsafeworkingconditions(Article66oftheConstitution).Theseprinciplesarecon-
stitutionalprinciples,significantforlabourlawbutrelatingalsotootherbranches
oflaw.Thecontentsofsuchprinciplesneedtobeadjustedtothelegalrelationshipsgov-
ernedbythelabourlegislation,alsothroughdeductivereasoning.Therearealsosuch
constitutionalprincipleswhichareexclusivelytheprinciplesoflabourlaw(therefore,
theyarenotinter-branchprinciples).Theseincludethefreedomtoassociateintrade
unionsandinemployers’organisations,therighttoconcludecollectiveagreements,
therighttoorganisestrikes(Article59oftheConstitution)ortherightofanemployee
torest,includingtherighttodaysoffandpaidannualleave(Article66(2)oftheCon-
stitution).SpecificationoftheprinciplesessentialforlabourlawintheConstitution
isimportantnotonlybecausetheyconstituteguidelinesforlegislativeactivitiesbutalso
mainlyallowexaminingwhethercertainprovisionsofthatbranchoflawarecompliant
Z.Góral