Brussels, 21/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - Contrary to British employers who called on President Prodi to amend the draft directive on temporary work (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 18), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) welcomes the directive proposed by the Commission. In a letter addressed to the daily Financial Times (which published the letter from the employers to Prodi), Emilio Gabaglio, ETUC General Secretary reacted as follows: "Equality is a basic principle in society. By extending this principle to temporary workers, we would be placing them on an equal footing with part-time workers or workers with fixed contracts and avoid any discrimination vis-à-vis temporary workers. Is that too much to ask for?". As for John Monks, TUC General Secretary (British trade union, member of ETUC), he stipulated that "inequality of treatment of temporary workers is as bad for the business world as for the workers concerned. We welcome any proposal that provides temporary workers with new rights".