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Strike action and protests across Europe have highlighted the united workforce opposition to the directive. The T&G has held a number of local information and consultation meetings in the UK as well as events, such as that involving the T&G and Eastern Region Labour MEP Richard Howitt at Felixstowe and Harwich tomorrow (Friday 13th January). A delegation of T&G members representing over eleven thousand UK docks and waterway workers will attend the European Parliament in Strasbourg along with other European trade unions.The union's general secretary, Tony Woodley, has written to all the UK MEPs stressing the united campaign between the T&G and the UK port employers. "Both the UKMPG and the T&G are calling for the withdrawal of this economically unnecessary and anti-social Directive," he said in his letter. "Before you vote, please bear in mind that if this Directive comes into force it will dramatically affect UK port operators, and other operators in the ports, and impact negatively on the future investment in the UK ports. Along with this there will be a reduction in working conditions, safety and even job losses." Mr. Woodley's call was backed by the top ports and docks officers in the union. Southampton convenor and T&G General Executive member Mike Gibbons has lobbied Manuel Barroso, the President of the EU Commission directly on the issue. "I have warned Mr. Barroso that this directive could undermine job security and skills, bring in more casual labour and put at risk the safety regimes in ports," he said. "Both the employers and the T&G have said there may be an impact on investment." The union's national organiser for transport for transport, Graham Stevenson, has taken an equally robust line. "Britain's ports have had more than their fair share of the privatisation and deregulation horse medicine, the last thing we need is the European Commission forcing doses down us," he said before the last meeting of the Transport and Environment Committee of the European Parliament (TRAN) in November last year.Source: Press Release