WHAT is the difference between the TUC Conference at Brighton last week and the public meeting at 7pm tonight in Blackburn Library?

At the TUC, Prime Minister Tony Blair told trade unionists to live in the real world and accept the flexible working environment that Labour has embraced so eagerly.

The keynote speaker at the public meeting tonight will be Nigel Cook, who was sacked by M&S Packaging (Blackburn) Ltd for organising a union and highlighting conditions at M&S, who pack CDs for Polygram. M&S workers suffer worse terms and conditions than PolyGram workers - who have union recognition.

We openly invite Jack Straw to come along so he can report back to Mr Blair the harsh realities of the flexible labour market and the people forced into it and victimised for standing up for basic human rights.

Perhaps it is Mr Blair who should live in the real world.

G GREENWOOD, Reinstate Nigel Cook Campaign, PO Box 14, Accrington.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.