All Wales Euro MP Jill Evans will tomorrow (Tuesday, 13th February) use Corus as a classic example of why the European Parliament should support a draft resolution on the social consequences of industrial restructuring.

Speaking in the Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg Ms Evans will urge fellow MEPs to back the resolution which would prevent a situation such as that experienced by Corus workers from happening again.

Speaking before her address to Parliament Ms Evans, Wales' only representative on the European Parliament's Committee on Employment, said,

"The thousands of job losses and the disgraceful way Corus has treated its workers in Wales is a classic example of why the UK and other governments should stop stalling and implement important employment directives. These include the Directive on European Works Councils and the Directive on Information and Consultation of Workers.

"We've heard fine words from the Labour Governments in Westminster and Cardiff Bay over recent weeks, but they will only be empty rhetoric if no action is taken on this front. If these directives had been adopted eighteen months ago then the situation could well be very different to that facing Corus workers today.

"Whilst this is of little comfort to Corus workers now we must ensure that such disgraceful treatment of workers is never allowed to be repeated."

The resolution calls on the Commission to:

- Bring forward urgently before the end of 2001 a revision of the European works councils directive, with particular attention to the need for sanctions for non-compliance with the directive;

- To proceed immediately with the publication of its review of the collective redundancies directive as announced in the European Social Agenda agreed at Nice, with a view to amending the directive if it is found not to have been effective in protecting workers;

- To adopt without further delay its Common Position on the framework directive on information and consultation of workers, taking into account the amendments adopted by Parliament at first reading;

-To carry out a review of the directive on transfers of undertakings, on the basis of which a proposal for amendment to the directive should be proposed which foresees sanctions for non-compliance with the directive.