Unions join march for a social Europe

Around 75,000 trade unionists joined a march for more and better jobs in Brussels last month, according to the European TUC.

The demonstration was organised to show support for a stronger social Europe and opposition to the deregulatory Services or ''Bolkestein'' Directive.

ETUC general secretary John Monks said: ''We don't want Europe to become America. We don't want weaker welfare states, worse pensions, work until you drop, weak unions and more privatisation and more de-regulation.''

Meanwhile Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, warned that: ''The Bolkestein Directive would fire the starting gun on a race to the bottom.''