CONFIDENTIAL
NOTE OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONEALTH SECRETARY AND MR L MURRAY AND MR J I JONES OF THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS ON
MONDAY, 21 MARCH 1977
23 cms.17
Present:
The Rt Hon Dr David Owen MP
Mr H R G Hurst
Mr D Lipsey
Mr R N Dales
14KK 212/544/2
Mr L Murray OBE, General Secretary, TUC Mr JL Jones MBE, Chairman of the TUC's
International Committee
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1.
Welcoming the TUC representatives, Dr Owen said he was glad to have this opportunity of looking at world problems in consultation with TUC leaders.
The Economic and Social Committee
2, Dr Owen referred to the discussion which had taken place at the TUC's International Committee meeting with Mr Crosland last September and to the detailed reply subsequently provided by the FCO to the points made by the TUC on the constitution and role of the Economic and Social Committee and of EEC institutions generally. He had subsequently discussed problems relating to the reform of that Committee with Mr de Ferranti, the Chairman of the Economic and Social Committee. It was obvious that reform involved many difficultie and the possibility of progress was doubtful. Tripartite conferences on the basis of the two already held perhaps provided the best opportunities for the trade union movement in the EEC countries to make their views known. Mr Murray thought that the main problem facing the European Trade Union Confederation was to find an effective channel for making their views known to the Council of Ministers. Mr Jones commented that the weakness of the Economic and Social Committee was its inability to produce more than "general opinions". In reply to a suggestion by Dr Owen, Mr Jones agreed that the TUC should work towards persuading the West German DGB to put its weight behind ETUC views on the reflation of the German economy. He thought that the DGB's President, Herr Vetter, was progressive but he did not appear always to have sufficient influence with the DGB's major trade union affiliates.
The Tripartite Conference
3. Dr Owen referred to the meeting in Rome on 25 March of the European Council which would be presided over by the Prime Minister. Mr Callaghan would be outlining a programme of Community activities for the period leading up to the European Council meeting in June.
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CONFIDENTIAL
/The Germans