Tens of thousands of union members are expected to take part in protests against the European Services Directive in Strasbourg today.
Campaigners will also take to the streets of Dublin today to urge the public to "Kiss the Services Directive Goodbye" during the Valentine's Day event outside the European Commission building on Molesworth Street.
The European Parliament is expected to vote in favour of the directive, which aims to liberalise the services market in Europe this week. It requires only a simple majority to pass its first reading in the parliament.
The directive, which has been bitterly opposed by European trade unions, proposes to extend the single market for goods that already exists in the EU to the services sector.
The European Commission says that liberalising the EU services market would create 600,000 jobs and boost economic growth, while unions believe it could result in the displacement of workers in rich member states with those from poorer states.
Siptu general secretary Jack O'Connor, who will be protesting in Strasbourg, said last night the directive must be opposed.
"If it is voted through the European Parliament in its original form it will be little more than a blank cheque for exploiting workers and ripping off the consumer, whose rights are also inadequately protected," he claimed.
But John Monks, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, today backed a compromise deal, warning that failure to do so could lead to a less favourable one being passed.
Today's protests come as the Government unions and employers continue to thrash out the terms of a new partnership agreement.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) is seeking stronger legislation to protect employment standards and to prevent job displacement from workers coming from low-wage economies.
The employers' body Ibec is against any changes that would make the labour market more inflexible.
Additional reporting Agencies