UK trade unions urge 6mn members to stay in EU

London / AFP

British trade unions representing six million workers on Monday urged their members to vote to stay in the European Union, warning that a Brexit would threaten workers’ rights.
The general secretaries of Unite, Unison and the GMB were among 10 union leaders who wrote a letter to the Guardian newspaper claiming that parental leave and holiday rights would be under threat without EU protection.
“Maternity and paternity rights, equal treatment for full-time, part-time and agency workers and the right to paid leave—continue to underpin and protect working rights for British people,” read the letter.
“If Britain leaves the EU, we are in no doubt these protections would be under great threat. The Tories would negotiate our exit and, we believe, would negotiate away our rights,” it said.