Brussels/London, 30/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - Addressing Labour MPs in the House of Commons in London on Monday, John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), called on them to apply pressure on the UK government to stop blocking European legislation designed to protect temporary agency workers. John Monks made this urgent appeal a few days ahead of the EU Employment and Social Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 5-6 December 2007, which will be discussing the temporary work directive. The directive aims to bring agency workers' rights and conditions into line with permanent employees, explained John Monks, adding that; 'since 1997, the government has set its face against any new social legislation not acceptable to the CBI. With workers' pay decreasing as a share of GDP and the share of profits rising, with the ever more dominant speculative, financial capitalism, with the problems of globalisation pressing hard on semi and unskilled workers, we have the bizarre situation of the government supporting big business against unions.' (G.B.)