Big Brother and the EU Art of Double Speak

From: Nagindas Khajuria 

Publication: The Business

Date: Wednesday, 30 June, 2004 

Subject: Big Brother and the EU Art of Double-Speak

Sir

Your article by Allister Heath (Page 16 27/28 June) raising concern by business about EU charter, esp. about the Charter of Fundamental Rights, is preposterous.

What is wrong with the six articles of the charter that he mentions as of particular concern to business? Namely, "right to work", "worker's right to information and consultation", "rights of collective bargaining and action", "protection in the event of unjustified dismissal", "fair and just working conditions" and "the right to reconcile family and professional life"?

If business does not understand that these rights go hand in hand with higher productivity and accelerated economic growth, then business does not understand the difference between being authoritarian and being democratic. For the last 25 years, the Conservatives and now Labour have peddled the wrong policies and wrong message to the business community, bringing down UK productivity from being 6th in world league tables to 23rd. 

Finally, UK is controlled by US 60% of the time and by EU 20% of the time. Why is he bothered so much about EU control and not US control?

Nagindas Khajuria