Brussels, 08/06/2006 (Agence Europe) - Speaking in Brussels on 7 June, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), John Monks, was quick to react to the proposal put forward by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, who suggested a new forum should be set up to allow businessmen to meet EU economic and finance ministers, so that a coordinated European response could be given on questions relating to globalisation and economic reform. The proposal on this forum, which would meet each month on the sidelines of the Ecofin Council, comes in the wake of the meeting last week between Gordon Brown and his German counterpart, Peer Steinbrück. “It is a daft proposal, which would put business in an even more favoured position”, John Monks told the press. “To suggest this at a time of record business profits, coupled with low R&D, investment and job security adds to my dismay!”, Mr Monks went on to exclaim. He stressed that: “EU governments should be influencing business to be more aware of its obligations to stakeholders other than shareholders and not provide privileged pulpits for the captains of business to preach at the rest of us. EU governments should also respect the various social dialogue structures that give others, and not just business, the right to influence decisions”. “I am critical of Gordon Brown's suggestion of a monthly globalisation forum between Ecofin and businessmen”, he concluded.