11/09/2001
Cold response to Trade Secretary speech
Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt has appeared to fail in her first attempts to woo the trade unions at the TUC conference in Brighton.
The new trade secretary, in her first appearance at the TUC, aimed to rally delegates with her attacks on the Conservatives and her concessions on trade union rights.
Ms Hewitt announced plans to change the law to give workers more protection when they are transferred from the public sector to the private sector.
She also toned down her attack on "fat cat" bosses who earn high bonuses despite the failure of their companies. However, her remarks were met by silence from the audience who were unimpressed with her remarks.
Tony Blair, meanwhile, was seeking to quell union anger over his crusade to reform public services through a bigger role for private companies.
However, his address at the TUC conference in Brighton was cancelled after two planes crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York. Mr Blair responded by cancelling his speech but did hand out a copy to delegates. (MB)
The new trade secretary, in her first appearance at the TUC, aimed to rally delegates with her attacks on the Conservatives and her concessions on trade union rights.
Ms Hewitt announced plans to change the law to give workers more protection when they are transferred from the public sector to the private sector.
She also toned down her attack on "fat cat" bosses who earn high bonuses despite the failure of their companies. However, her remarks were met by silence from the audience who were unimpressed with her remarks.
Tony Blair, meanwhile, was seeking to quell union anger over his crusade to reform public services through a bigger role for private companies.
However, his address at the TUC conference in Brighton was cancelled after two planes crashed into the World Trade Centre in New York. Mr Blair responded by cancelling his speech but did hand out a copy to delegates. (MB)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.