Brussels, 27/01/2004
Giving the Jean Monnet lecture in the University of Manchester on January 27, John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), called for pro-Europeans to fight back against the tide of euroscepticism.
Criticising the Labour Government's opposition to new European social legislation, he said: “The Government are putting worker support for Europe at risk. Europe must be more than a single market. It must build up its strong social dimension so that people affected by rapid change are protected and helped. If proposed legislation on questions like more protection for temporary agency workers, better control of working time and stronger European works councils is blocked, working people will more and more question Europe's value and be disillusioned with the Government. Instead of thinking that Europe's single market can manage without clear social rules, we need to build a stronger alliance with our near neighbours and forge a new and successful Europe based on popular support. That is the right route for the Government to pursue.”
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