Cameron is gambling with Britain’s future by trying to opt-out of EU work laws, says TUC

11 July 2015

Commenting on reports in today’s (Saturday) newspapers that David Cameron is planning to demand an opt-out on EU work laws, TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady said:

“David Cameron’s latest EU negotiating demand says more about the internal politics of the Conservative Party than the interests of the country. But in seeking to appease his Eurosceptic cabinet members, Cameron is gambling with Britain’s future.”

“Yet again, Cameron is seeking to load the dice against British workers, this time attacking their rights derived from the EU. British workers won’t vote to stay in a EU for big business that is stripped of workers’ rights. Attacking paid holidays and equal rights for agency workers will serve only to fuel ill feeling against free movement, as employers find it easier to hire migrant workers on worse pay and conditions.

“The Prime Minister should stop trying to paper over the cracks in his own party and start worrying about how to win the great mass workers’ votes.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:

Clare Santry  T: 020 7467 1372  M: 07717 531150  E: csantry@tuc.org.uk