18/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - European trade unions call for democratic debate about nuclear power. In the light of the catastrophe in Japan, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is urging the EU to make sure it ensures proper safety of its nuclear power stations in any circumstances, especially disasters and crises. It is essential that safety audits and stress tests are carried out as soon as possible on all nuclear power plants in Europe and that the results are fully publicised. ETUC is worried that work in the nuclear industry tends to be subcontracted to people who often do not have the proper training and that workers are exposed to dangerous amounts of radiation, and it therefore says that genuine and coherent management of workers in the nuclear industry is vital. ETUC says it is crucial to have a debate on the way nuclear power stations operate at the moment and in the future, combined with a debate about the liberalisation of the electricity market. For further information, see: http://www.etuc.org (G.B./transl.fl)