COMPANIES named and shamed for violating workers’ rights have received more than a billion euros in European Union funding, trade unions revealed today.

The Global Rights Index, published by the International Trade Union Confederation, lists 15 companies, including Ryanair, Amazon and IKEA, who flouted labour law or ignored workers’ and trade union rights over the last year.

The companies are accused of union-busting tactics used to suppress wages and working conditions, including sacking staff, disciplinary action against union members and refusing to engage in collective bargaining.

According to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the majority of the companies named have received huge sums in EU funding over the last decade.

The ETUC is calling for a revision of the rules on public procurement to ensure that only companies which respect workers’ and trade union rights are eligible to receive public funding.

General secretary Esther Lynch said: “Workers’ rights abuses are increasing across Europe, meaning lower wages and worse conditions for millions of people, and shockingly we’re rewarding the bosses behind these violations with lucrative public contracts.

“It’s time to take union-busting bosses off the payroll and ensure that only companies which act in the public interest are eligible to benefit from public funding.”