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Brussels called on the UK to sign up a new agreement to consult workers before

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Brussels called on the UK to sign up a new agreement to consult workers before mass lay-offs, describing British objections as "theological" rather than rational. Brussels called on the UK to sign up a new agreement to consult workers before mass lay-offs, describing British objections as "theological" rather than rational. In a high-profile intervention, Anna Diamantopoulou, Europe's social affairs commissioner, raised the stakes over the one imminent piece of planned EU law which the Government opposes, and outlined a fresh initiative on employment protection. One idea is that all companies of more than 1,000 people should have to create a special contingency plan to cater for the possibility of mass redundancies.The Commissioner also said that Brussels should use existing powers enshrined in regulations on mergers and regional aid to ensure that companies kept their commitments to their workers.Britain and Ireland oppose a proposed directive on informing and consulting workers, and and as many as 11 countries have reservations. Discussion has been postponed to a meeting ­ when the Government could be outvoted ­ just a few days after the general election.The new law, which has been criticised by the Confederation of British Industry, would require all companies with 50 or more workers to inform and consult their workers before any mass lay-offs.Ms Diamantopoulou said that, although she would rather see the Government accept the directive voluntarily, "we cannot go on waiting for years to find this unanimity". She added: "The present situation and crisis we have on this issue makes this directive a must."On mainland Europe, recent redundancies announced by Marks & Spencer and Danone have made worker protection a key political issue.

The Commissioner said it was essential that the new legislation included sanctions against employers that failed to comply.In particular, firms would have to abandon closure plans until they been through the correct procedures. "If there are breaches of the legislation, we must have teeth," she said.. With just one day of campaigning left to convince voters, a dose of urgency is entering the normally smooth patter of Francesco Rutelli, Italy's dashing left-wing leader and would-be prime minister. With just one day of campaigning left to convince voters, a dose of urgency is entering the normally smooth patter of Francesco Rutelli, Italy's dashing left-wing leader and would-be prime minister. "Vote left, vote right, but exercise your right to vote," the handsome 46-year-old urged a crowd at the main market square in Padua on Wednesday. "Unless you support the Olive Tree [coalition] you will be handing the right a victory," he repeated last night in Palermo.Despite a campaign from his rival, Silvio Berlusconi, to discredit his claim to be the legitimate leader of the Olive Tree coalition, Mr Rutelli has shown he has more to offer than just his much-discussed good looks.

A month ago, Mr Berlusconi, whose face has graced billboards on every street corner, had all but convinced Italians, and his rivals, that they had already lost.Using a highly personalised media campaign, Mr Rutelli has never shown any doubt that his coalition can carry it off. His well-orchestrated campaign throughout the country has helped to narrow the lead of the centre-right opposition Casa delle Libert?oalition to an estimated 4 per cent.His big fears now are abstentionism and a dispersal of votes to non-aligned parties. Key television performances in the final hours before tomorrow's pre-election news blackout could be decisive. Three and a half million Italians ­ many of them undecided ­ watched an election special on Wednesday night in which Mr Rutelli dealt competently with specific demands from a group of six, which included a student, the owner of a small business and an immigrant.But the figure haunting Mr Rutelli is 61 years old, speaks with an aristocratic accent, wears cashmere jumpers and is a passionate supporter of the leader of Mexico's Zapatista rebels, Sub-comandante Marcos. Fausto Bertinotti, once head of Italy's biggest trade union, is the unflinching leader of Rifondazione Comunista, (the Refounded Communists).They brought down the government of Romano Prodi in 1998 over the budget and since then the party has been outside the centre-left coalition. Disillusioned left-wing voters, from magistrates to mechanics, are tempted to register a protest vote, favouring a party that is not scared to be left wing.Mr Bertinotti underlines that his party has already done its bit by not putting up candidates in elections for the Lower House.