David Cameron’s bid to outflank Ukip and his own Eurosecptics by pledging to renegotiate key elements of the UK’s EU membership is “but a divisive attempt to scrap vital employment rights, removing British workers from their scope,” Jean Butcher said this morning.
Speaking to the Labour Party conference in Brighton, the chair of UNISON’s international committee said: “UNISON is strongly opposed to any attempt to undermine employment rights and protections.
“What are the rights we want to defend?
“Proper health and safety.
“Paid holidays and rest breaks.
“Protection against discrimination.
“Equal pay and equal treatment for part-time, temporary, agency and contracted-out workers.
“They are all essential elements of a Europe that works for its people.”
Turning to international development, Ms Butcher called for quality public services to be a key part of any post-2015 vision.
“Publicly provided universal services are the best way to make sure that everyone, especially the poorest, most excluded and vulnerable groups in society, can access the services they need.
“Full and decent employment is also necessary for the global South to eradicate poverty.
“Even those who have jobs often suffer from insecurity resulting from underemployment or casual and vulnerable employment and the informal economy accounts for between 35% and 90% of total employment, mainly for women.
“Thirdly, implementing social protection floors is the simplest and most comprehensive way to stabilise peoples’ livelihoods and stabilise economies.
“A basic system is affordable even in the poorest country, costing about 1-2% of GDP
“Finally, the global South would benefit from tax revenues which are currently evaded by multinational corporations, and through the use of tax havens.”
Ms Butcher concluded a wide-ranging speach by urging Labour MPs to follow the example of the party’s MEPs and vote against the EU Colombia Free Trade Agreement when it reaches Parliament.
“That would send a strong signal that the widespread and systematic violation of human and trade union rights in Colombia can neither be ignored, let alone rewarded, by the international community,” she said.