In the beginning, labor law and social security law were of little significance in the development of European law. These areas of law only played a very minor role in the founding treaties of the European Communities, as their aim was primarily to harmonize economic, not social, conditions. Fifty years after the Rome Treaties, the situation is completely different. There is more and more awareness that the only way to further develop European law - and the European Union as a whole - is by, not only getting rid of competitive constraints, but also by making the citizens of Europe aware of its social dimension. Now is therefore a good time for an outline of European labor law. This textbook was written mainly for students specializing in labor law, but it also offers practicing labor lawyers an overview of the most important regulations and judgments on the subject. Numerous examples - and a summary of the most significant judgments of the European Court of Justice - illustrate vividly the contentious issues.