The General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, John Monks, has called on the Government to guarantee there will be no reduction in funding for public services.

In a New Year message, Mr Monks said while the TUC supported Labour initiatives such as the minimum wage, its "major worry" was that ministers wanted to cut public sector spending.

"We already have a smaller public sector than other comparable countries. With an ageing population and continuing insecurity in the workplace, it would be quite wrong to stop public services sharing in the growth of the national wealth in the years ahead," he said.

The Government has not specified what cuts it will make. But Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and his Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, have promised a radical shake-up of the welfare state despite high-profile demonstrations and a row with Labour MPs.

Mr Monks, whose TUC represents 6.7 million members, also called on employers to stop defending "cowboy firms" which he said were exploiting workers with poverty pay and poor conditions.
 

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