The AFL-CIO is a structure that divides workers' strength by allowing each union to organize in any industry then bargain on its own even when workers share a common employer.

The single currency should allow the European Union and therefore France to balance its monetary strength with the United States. It should help us adjust to the development of China.

Europe has a lot of strength. We need to pool that strength and I am very much in favour of that - more of a deeper political union.

The fact that we're going through a crisis is an opportunity for Europe to be more coordinated and more integrated. We're actually talking about a European Monetary Fund or euro bonds about guarantees for countries about economic governance in the European Union. That shows the strength of Europe.

As much as I value an union of all the states I would not admit the southern states into the union unless they agreed to the discontinuance of this disgraceful trade because it would bring weakness and not strength to the union.

There's a feeling that strength is determined by the size of a union. That clearly is nonsense.

All too often miners and indeed other trade unionists underestimate the economic strength they have.

Society is the union of men and not the men themselves.

With respect to Holy Communion it is up to the communicant to decide whether they are in a state of grace and worthy to receive the Eucharist. Each one of us makes that decision.

I respect the state workers and I respect their unions but we simply can't afford to pay benefits and pensions that are out of line with economic reality.